Advertisement
Police forensic officers examine a car in which four mortar rounds were found in Derry today Peter Morrison/AP/Press Association Images
Derry

MP condemns those who "want Derry to be a theatre for destruction"

Police in Northern Ireland found a suspicious object after intercepting a van in Derry last night.

THE MORTAR ROUNDS find in Derry has been condemned by SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan, who criticised those who “only want Derry to be a theatre for destruction and death”.

The PSNI intercepted a van in Derry and discovered what turned out to be four mortar rounds. Three men have been arrested in connection with the find.

Speaking of the incident, Durkan said:

I have mixed feelings about this attack – relief that these devices have been intercepted but disgust that anybody could plan an operation of this nature with the devastation and potential death that it would involve.
Whilst people in Derry are justifiably annoyed and frustrated with the ongoing disruption from this, it is better that we are facing disruption today rather than the story of devastation and death that we could all have been talking about.

He added:

We have all been spared an awful catastrophe – not only in physical terms to buildings or our infrastructure but also in human terms.

Durkan said that “there is a small minority of people who say they want Derry to be a theatre for destruction and death” but “they will not succeed”.

The incident led to the evacuation of about 100 homes, and the closure of part of the Letterkenny Road, where the van was stopped.

Read: Three men being questioned over Derry van bomb>

Your Voice
Readers Comments
13
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.