Uncle of PSNI officer refuses to condemn 'bomb' bid

An independent republican councillor whose police officer niece was the target of a suspected car bomb attack in the North tonight refused to condemn the incident.

British Army bomb experts were called to Fearon Close in Kilkeel, Co Down, after a suspicious object was discovered near the home of the Catholic policewoman.

It is understood that the item fell from a car belonging to the young PSNI officer – the niece of former Sinn Féin councillor Martin Connolly.

As bomb specialists examined the object, Mr Connolly declined to criticise those responsible.

“I’m not going to get into the politics of condemnation,” he said.

“It hasn’t done any good in the past, nor will it do any good in the future.”

Mr Connolly left Sinn Féin in 2007 and is now an independent representative on Newry and Mourne District Council.

DUP South Down Assembly member Jim Wells branded the councillor’s comments, made on BBC Radio Ulster, as a disgrace.

“How could anyone refuse to condemn an attack on one of his own relatives?” Mr Wells said.

“I believe as a councillor he has to support a peaceful and normal democratic process.

“This could have been an absolute tragedy.”

A number of homes were evacuated during the security alert, which came just days after a car bomb exploded outside the Strand Road police station in Derry, causing extensive damage.

Members of the public narrowly escaped injury in Tuesday’s attack, carried out by dissident republicans opposed to the peace process.

On Wednesday a booby-trap bomb placed under a soldier’s car in Co Down fell from the vehicle outside his home, but did not detonate.

Police said the British Army major was lucky to have escaped serious injury or death.

SDLP MP for South Down Margaret Ritchie said local people were disgusted by the latest incident.

“Let there be no doubt whatsoever that we and all the people of Kilkeel stand with this officer and against those who would bring destruction and murder into this peaceful community,” she said.

“Everyone will want to see those responsible brought to justice as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, a security alert was also sparked in Derry today after police received reports of masked men firing shots at around 12.20am.

Ammunition technical officers were called in to examine a van in the Campion Court area of Gobnascale.

Nothing was found in the vehicle, however, and the area was later reopened to the public.

Around ten nearby homes were evacuated during the alert.