Never miss a thing from Belfast and beyond - sign up for FREE updates direct to your email inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A bomb found attached to a HGV vehicle in Co Armagh was designed to explode on a ferry to Scotland around the time of Brexit.

The device, thought to have been planted by the Continuity IRA, was found under the vehicle in Silverwood Industrial Estate in Lurgan.

It is believed the intention was for the vehicle to make its way to Belfast harbour to board a ferry bound for Scotland.

Assistant Chief Constable George Clarke said: "It was a viable device... and that means it could have caused death and very serious injury and harm to members of the public."

He added: "They did intend, we believe in what they've said, that the device would explode around the time the UK left the EU."

A media outlet received two calls, one on Friday, January 31, with little detail, and a further call on Monday with more information.

ACC Clarke said: "On Friday evening a call was made to a media outlet indicating that a device had been left in a trailer in Belfast docks.

"It's very important to note that that information was exceptionally sparse and limited and there was a police response in relation to that.

"Subsequent to that call, on Monday evening, a further call was received by a media outlet. That call contained substantially more detail.

"It gave us the detail of a commercial haulage company and it indicated that the device had been left on a vehicle or on the trailer connected to that company and the intention had been for that device to explode on Friday evening at around the time the United Kingdom left the EU.

"The device was located late Monday, early Tuesday and a substantial clearance and investigative operation was commenced and carried out at that time.

"Our information is that is that that lorry at no time left the yard. The second call indicates an intention on the part of the bombers that it would have travelled to Belfast.

"But we very clearly believe that the vehicle did not leave Lurgan."

UUP MLA Doug Beattie described the incident as "sinister".

He said: "This was no minor device, this was a very deliberate attempt to cause an explosion on a ferry, and given the inherent instability of these devices, it could easily have detonated in the lorry’s yard, on the M1, in the middle of Belfast or on a ferry itself in the middle of the Irish Sea.

"Without a doubt it was an attempt to isolate Northern Ireland from the rest of Great Britain by creating a threat to on-board ferry traffic.

"Had it exploded on the ferry it could have created a fireball that would have taken the route of least resistance and spread through open spaces, walkways and corridors to engulf anyone in its path be they men, women or children.

"Had this been on a ferry from Dover to Calais the UK Government would be mobilising every asset possible to track down the perpetrators; I call on them to do so with this, and treat it as the National Security threat which it is."

The SDLP's Doleres Kelly condemned those responsible.

She said: "I want to pay tribute to the PSNI for their work to secure this device. Officers continue to put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities from the serious threat posed by violent dissident republicans.

"Those behind this plot were intent on causing maximum devastation and killing innocent people. We cannot become complacent about the threat that dissident republicans pose and their desire to kill people in our communities in the pursuit of an outdated ideology that has been rejected by the people of Ireland.

"If anyone has information about this attempted bombing, I would encourage them to come forward to police as soon as possible. It is vital that we bring these criminal gangs to justice before they kill someone else."