SOUTH ARMAGH residents and public representatives have united in condemnation of the attempted bombing near the Border village of Forkhill.
“It just does not bear thinking about it. It was really very serious, they are out to kill me and my neighbours,” local resident Marion Hollywood said.
“As far as I am concerned I hate this place now. I’ll possibly sell the house now and get out,” she told BBC Northern Ireland.
Political representatives from the main Stormont parties spoke as one in condemnation.
Local Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy said he was “extremely concerned,” by the discovery of such a large bomb.
“I would question the motives of those who are putting the local community in such danger,” he said. “I challenge those who have planted this bomb in the community to come forward and explain why they have done so? How is this furthering the struggle for Irish freedom?”
SDLP Assembly member Dominic Bradley also blamed dissident republicans. “This is the most serious threat yet from dissident republicans to the people of south Armagh,” he said. “Without doubt, there could have been civilian causalities . . . The people who planted this device are not acting for the people of south Armagh, in fact, they are putting the people of south Armagh at huge risk of death. The local people don’t want this nor do they want people carrying this out in their area.”
He also questioned response time in dealing with the device and evacuating people. “The PSNI will have to revise their response times and their means of communicating with the local community about issues of serious importance.”
Ulster Unionist deputy leader Danny Kennedy said: “It is likely to assume that members of the PSNI were the target of this bomb. However, had it detonated it could have killed any passer-by.”
DUP Assembly member William Irwin said that Northern Ireland still faced a considerable paramilitary threat despite the political advances made. “There is still the very real threat of terrorism here in Northern Ireland and this has been proven once again by the murderous thugs who left this massive bomb near the Border,” he said.
“I believe it was the intention of those who left the bomb to kill members of the PSNI. However, the professionalism and bravery shown by the PSNI and army bomb disposal in dealing with the device has averted such a horrific possibility.
“Hopefully, in the investigation which will follow, forensic services may be able to get some information on those who made or transported the device as there is a massive need to get these people behind bars and remove this very real threat to everyone’s safety.”
Alliance leader David Ford said: “This is a deeply sinister development. Those who seek to destroy the progress in Northern Ireland must never prevail. Finds like this underline the need for politicians to work together and show that peace and devolution is the only way forward.”
