Lurgan bomb attempt ‘timely reminder’ of terror threat to police – Jon Boutcher

The proxy bomb attack attempt on a police station is a “timely reminder” of the terrorist threat level in Northern Ireland, the PSNI Chief Constable has said.

Jon Boutcher condemned those who carried out the attack as “cowards” and said dissident republican groups “have no support and nothing to offer”.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for the incident in Lurgan earlier this week when a food delivery driver was hijacked in Kilwilkie and forced to drive a “crude but viable” device to the station.

It has been roundly condemned by political leaders across Northern Ireland.

Mr Boutcher said the incident is “likely to have been a sad attempt to appear relevant ahead of planned dissident Republican parades over Easter”.

The 1916 rising is marked annually as one of the events leading to the independence of the Republic of Ireland from British rule in 1922.

Mr Boutcher told the policing board on Thursday that investigation into the attack is ongoing but “there is little doubt that dissident Republicans were responsible”.

“The only thing these people are interested in is themselves and their own egos,” he said.

“They are irrelevant to today’s communities in Northern Ireland.

“I want to pay particular tribute to the courageous delivery driver who alerted officers to the threat, and ask that people consider the contrast between the cowards that perpetrated this and that delivery driver and all those countless people in our society who repeatedly stand up against such unsupported acts of terrorism or acts of intimidation.

“There is no place in a democratic society for such criminals and I appeal to anyone with any information whatsoever to come forward and tell us what they know, tell us who was involved before these idiots cause some harm.

“They do not deserve anyone’s protection or support.

“It’s been some time since the Chief Constable has come before this board in the aftermath of a dissident Republican attack towards our officers.

“These events are a timely reminder that the threat level in Northern Ireland remains at substantial meaning at any time an attack is likely.

“PSNI officers and staff are still the primary target of that threat.”

He went on to describe the attempted attack as being “as futile as it was cruel”.

“These ever decreasing dissident gangs have no support and nothing to offer. Society simply does not want them,” he said.

“The sooner they realise that the better and things will be much better for everyone.

“I ask all such groups to stop such pointless attacks. You are changing nothing.”

The Chief Constable also told the board about a letter he received from a social worker who spent Christmas Eve in a police station with a mother and “two traumatised children” after a domestic abuse incident, to commend the “patience, care, empathy and understanding” shown by officers.

“Those who attacked Lurgan police station should reflect on those stations being a place of safety for vulnerable people,” he said.