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A Republican dissident bomb found in a truck in Co Armagh was said to explode on Brexit day aboard a ferry “around the time the UK left the EU”.
Deputy chief of police George Clarke told reporters on Thursday that a call to a media company had been received on January 31 that a truck trailer was found in Belfast harbor to carry a “midnight boat” bomb.
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In a further call to the same media company on Monday, the caller said that “this device should explode on Friday night around the time the UK left the EU,” said ACC Clarke.
The PSNI believes that the Republican dissident group was responsible for the Continuity IRA.
The device, he said, “could have caused death and very serious injury and damage to the public.”
It was in the Silverwood Industrial Estate in Lurgan late Monday or early Tuesday morning after an operation that ACC Clarke described as “significant clearance”.
“Our information,” he said, “is that this truck has never left the yard.” The second call indicates the bombers’ intention to travel to Belfast, ”he said.
Police experts assume that the bombers have attached the device to the wrong trailer.
The PSNI had previously announced that the bomb had been found after a series of searches that began in Belfast Harbor on Friday, January 31.
Detective Superintendent Sean Wright of the PSNI Terrorism Investigation Unit said that police had received the report that evening that there were explosive docks in a truck at the docks that were supposed to ferry to Scotland.
Det Supt Wright said that based on this information, “the police have reviewed the docks and have worked with the ferry company, Belfast Harbor authorities and Police Scotland to try to locate the device.
“After thorough checks, nothing was found. The ferry drove and arrived safely in Scotland, ”he said.
On Monday evening, he said that the police had received another report that the explosive device had been attached to a truck from a well-known freight forwarder.
“This more detailed information allowed the police to conduct targeted investigations with the carrier,” he said.
“On Monday evening, February 3, and Tuesday, February 4, the police and the transport company in the region eliminated 400 vehicles to locate the detonator.
“The device was then found attached to a truck in the Silverwood Industrial Estate. This explosive device was brought to safety. ”
Det Supt Wright said the information available to the police indicated that Republican dissidents intentionally and ruthlessly attached explosives to a truck.
“If this vehicle has been driven and the device has exploded anywhere along the M1, over the Westlink or into the Harbor Estate, the associated risks need not be taken into account.
“The only conclusion we can draw is that the Republican dissidents have once again shown total disregard for the community, businesses, and society as a whole.”
He appealed to anyone who was in the Silverwood commercial area between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Friday, January 31, and who noticed unusual activities to contact the police.
“In addition, I ask anyone who has been in the area and has dash cam footage at the same time that he urgently turns to the police,” he said.
“The police can be contacted on emergency number 101. Alternatively, information can also be forwarded to the independent Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
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