Police in Northern Ireland have said they believe the New IRA was responsible for a car bomb explosion outside Dunmurry police station on the outskirts of Belfast. The device, which was placed in a hijacked vehicle, detonated late on Saturday night, but no injuries were reported.
Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) described the attack as attempted murder, noting similarities to an incident in Lurgan in March. In that case, a delivery driver was forced at gunpoint to transport a device that failed to explode.
The vehicle was hijacked in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast shortly before 11pm. A male delivery driver was ordered to drive the car to the police station and abandon it. Residents, including two babies, were evacuated from nearby properties before the explosion.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill condemned the attack, stating that those responsible “speak for absolutely no one”. DUP leader Gavin Robinson said police and the public “should never have to face this kind of danger”. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the attack, vowing that those responsible would be brought to justice.
Singleton praised the swift actions of officers who evacuated residents, calling it “nothing short of miraculous” that no one was hurt. He warned that the device, though lacking sophistication, was “extremely volatile” and posed a significant risk.
The attack has been widely condemned by political leaders and the Police Federation, with Liam Kelly, chair of the federation, describing the perpetrators as “faceless cowards” with no place in modern society.
