A photo of a bomb police believe was intended to explode on Brexit night (Picture: PA)

Police in Northern Ireland have released photos of a ‘Brexit day bomb’ that was intended to be exploded on the day Britain left the EU.

The device was found attached to a lorry in Lurgan, County Armagh, on Tuesday morning, after a search of 400 vehicles.

It is understood the Continuity IRA planned to smuggle the explosive across the Irish sea on a ship destined for Scotland. From there, the plan was to transport it to an unknown location in England and detonate it to coincide with Brexit.

The dissident group admitted responsibility in a statement to Belfast newspaper the Irish News, after Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) blamed them for the botched terror bid.




The PSNI said the bomb was a ‘viable’ explosive which could have caused ‘catastrophic loss of life’ had it been detonated.

Officers suspect the dissident republicans selected the wrong vehicle, as the trailer containing the bomb did not leave its premises in Lurgan on Friday.

Officers said this Brexit day bomb was ‘viable’ (Picture: PA)

Silverwood Industrial Estate in Lurgan, Co Armagh, where the bomb was found (Picture: Google)

They were first alerted to reports of a device on Friday January 31st, when the Irish News received a warning that a device had been left on a trailer in the city’s docks.

The explosive was finally discovered at the yard in the early hours of Tuesday, after an intensive police search operation.

Detective Superintendent Sean Wright said the images, released today, ‘demonstrate the sheer recklessness’ of those behind the plot.

‘Today I am releasing two photographs of the device found attached to a heavy goods vehicle in the Silverwood Industrial Estate’ he said.

‘These images clearly show the explosive device attached to the lorry. They also demonstrate the sheer recklessness of those who knowingly put the driver, road users and the wider public at risk of death or serious injury.

The plan was to release the bomb to coincide with Brexit (Picture: PA)

‘I continue to appeal to anyone who was in the area of Silverwood Industrial Estate between 4pm and 10pm on Friday January 31 and who may have noticed any unusual activity in the area to contact police.

‘In addition I ask that anyone who was driving in the area and who would have dash-cam footage around these same times that they contact police, as a matter of urgency.’

The Irish News said they were sent a statement from the republican terrorist group on Monday after the bomb failed to go off.

The CIRA warned that the chance of the device ‘dropping off’ the trailer were slim.

‘It was timed for Britain’s exit from the EU and to bring attention to the sea border’ the statement added.

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