PSNI: Newry device was 'substantial'

The PSNI have confirmed that the van bomb on the A1 route near Newry was a “substantial” device.

It was defused early this morning after a day-long security alert closed the main Dublin to Belfast Road.

A number of controlled explosions were carried out on the vehicle last night and the road has now reopened.

The security alert was launched on Thursday night after two warnings calls were received.

Stormont government minister Danny Kennedy has said he is "disgusted" the bomb was planted less than a week after PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr's murder.

British Army technical officers cleared the scene before the road was reopened to traffic early this morning.

Northern Ireland Policing Board member Jonathan Bell condemned the attempted bombing.

The Democratic Unionist Party representative said: “Will Northern Ireland stop going forward because of the bullying of a minority of terrorists? No.”

In a reference to the widespread condemnation of the murder of Pc Kerr, he added: “The message was crystal clear from last week when our society came together as one to reject death.”