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Northern Ireland police foil Brexit Day ferry bomb plot

[ February 6, 2020   //   ]

The Police Service of Northern Ireland says that it has foiled a plot by dissident Republicans to set off a lorry bomb in or near the port of Belfast on Brexit Day, 31 January. Following a tip-off, anti-terrorist officers carried out a search of the docks area and ferries, but nothing was found. However, a further report of a truck bomb was received on 3 February and, after a search of over 400 vehicles, the device was subsequently found in a heavy goods vehicle in the Silverwood Industrial Estate, Lurgan. It was subsequently defused.

In a statement, PSNI said that dissident Republicans had put the driver of that vehicle, road users and the wider public “at serious risk of injury and possible death. Had this vehicle travelled and the device had exploded at any point along the M1, across the Westlink or into the Harbour estate the risks posed do not bear thinking about.  The only conclusion that we can draw is that once again Dissident Republicans have shown a total disregard for the community, for businesses and for wider society.”
Police are appealing for anyone who was in the area of Silverwood Industrial Estate between 4.00pm and 10.00pm on Friday, 31 January and who may have noticed any unusual activity in the area to contact police or anyone who was driving in the area and who would have dash-cam footage around these times to contact police, as a matter of urgency on the non-emergency number 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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