PSNI: 'Substantial' bomb planted at Derry court

A substantial and viable bomb was planted near a courthouse in the North, police said today.

Dozens of elderly residents were moved from a sheltered housing development in Derry due to the alert blamed on suspected dissident republicans.

Choirboys, some as young as seven, were told to get out of the nearby St Columb’s Cathedral.

Hearings at the courthouse today have been moved to other courts.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: “A number of controlled explosions have been carried out and we can now confirm there is a viable device of substantial size.”

The area around remains sealed off.

It is two years since the threat from dissident republicans in the North was escalated to severe. The groups have been particularly active in the Derry area.

SDLP Foyle representative Pol Callaghan condemned the disruption.

“This is a totally unacceptable and pointless attack on our city,” he said.

“Elderly residents of Alexander House have yet again been put out of their home, causing upset and distress. It has caused widespread disruption to traffic.

“I have met visitors from the US, the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere whose visits have been affected.”