THE PSNI officer targeted by dissident republican bombers last week remains in a critical condition in a Belfast hospital.
Constable Peadar Heffron (33) was seriously injured when a device exploded under the driver’s seat of his car as he drove to Woodbourne PSNI station in west Belfast early on Friday.
Chief Constable Matt Baggott said every decent person should condemn the attack. “Our colleague was brutally targeted in a cowardly attack as he left his home to travel to work. My appeal to everyone is that you continue to support us in building peace and to not let this incident detract us all from that goal.”
David Ford, Alliance leader and Assembly member for the area, said it was imperative that political progress was made at Stormont to demonstrate to dissidents the futility of violence. Referring to this latest attack, he drew parallels with the murders of two British soldiers at nearby Massereene barracks in March last year.
Speaking in Stormont he said the people of the locality had stood together in defiance of the killers at that time. “I know that I can speak with confidence that the vast majority of the people of Antrim and district will say the same thing today and continue to stand together in the face of this atrocity,” he said.
The attempt to murder a police officer on his way to carry out his duty serving the people of Northern Ireland will be condemned throughout these islands, he told the Assembly.
“I do not expect that my words will make any difference to those who carried out this deed, but I trust that the united voice of community, church and political leaders will carry some weight with anyone who might be tempted down that path.
“The dissidents have nothing to offer, nothing but utterly spurious claims, nothing but death and destruction.”
Constable Heffron, an Irish language specialist within the PSNI and the captain of the police Gaelic football team, has suffered severe leg injuries and has undergone surgery.
“To Peadar’s wife and parents, to his friends and family circle, I want to say that we sympathise with you at this time,” Mr Ford said. “To his colleagues in the police service, in Antrim and west Belfast particularly, I know that the people of Northern Ireland will want to thank you for your professionalism and your courage.”
Mr Ford said the attack underlined the importance of demonstrating to the public that the Stormont institutions were delivering.
“The key way in which as an Assembly we can act against the dissidents is by showing that politics works, showing that we can deliver for our people, by demonstrating good governance.” He added: “Petty squabbles and childish stand-offs do nothing to advance the needs of this community. Whatever the current problems, we must overcome them and advance the political process and the peace process.
“Peadar Heffron is exactly the sort of police officer this society needs. He joined the Police Service of Northern Ireland in its early days, well before it was easy for someone from his background. He showed great courage in doing so and has worked hard on the community relations aspect of his job, not least through bringing the PSNI and GAA closer together.”