Two held over massive bomb discovery
Two men are being held in conjunction with a huge bomb found in a van in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Police are examining the 1200lb device that was primed and ready for detonation when it was discovered.
The bomb was found after police noted a suspicious looking van at around 06:15 BST yesterday.
Officers found the vehicle abandoned a short time later on the nearby Clooney Road.
After a controlled explosion was carried out on the van, the bomb, which is believed to be the work of dissident republicans opposed to the peace process and Good Friday Agreement, was discovered.
Police announced today that two men have been arrested.
A police spokesman said: ‘One man aged 33 and another aged 24 have been arrested earlier this morning in connection with the bomb find in Londonderry yesterday.’
The bomb was over twice the size of the 1998 Omagh bomb and one of the largest ever found in the UK, according to police.
Chief Inspector George Brien said of the device: ‘It was clearly designed to cause immense damage. I have no idea as to the intended target at this stage, but there is no doubt that the target was saved by the prompt alertness of the police officers.’
Paul Murphy, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, praised the police, saying: ‘My praise for the PSNI officers involved is matched only by my contempt for those who planned to cause chaos and misery.’
