The Five Demands

Dopo 3 giorni di allerta parla l’Area Commander Chief Inspector Ken Mawhinney

L’Area Commander Chief Inspector Ken Mawhinney ha apertamente dichiarato che l’ordigno ritrovato a Keady è stato deliberatamente concepito per uccidere agenti di polizia.
La polizia ipotizza che il barile di birra, imbottito di 160 libre di materiale esplosivo e collegato a vari cavi, potrebbe essere stato piazzato in un vicolo di Castleblayney, già 2 giorni prima del ritrovamento.
“Questo dispositivo è stato progettato per una cosa e una cosa soltanto – uccidere o causare gravi lesioni alle forze di polizia.
“Le persone responsabili dell’assemblaggio di questo dispositivo e  di averlo lasciato su questa strada esposto al pubblico, hanno messo in pericolo i membri della comunità locale per quasi 48 ore dimostrato alcun riguardo per la vita umana”.

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Keady bomb ‘designed to kill’ (U TV)
A viable bomb planted in Keady was “designed to kill”, police said as they revealed they believed the device had been left there two days before the security alert began.
A beer keg with wires sticking out of it was found in a hedge by a member of the public on Tuesday morning, prompting a lock-down of the surrounding area.
But on Thursday, Area Commander Chief Inspector Ken Mawhinney said: “We now believe that this device has been at this location since Saturday evening.”
Investigations are also ongoing into a suspicious fire in a nearby field early on Sunday morning. A section of fencing was set alight in what police believe may have been an arson attack designed to lure officers to the site of the bomb.
“We then received information about a call made to a local business premises in Keady on Monday evening to state that a device had been left near a border area,” Ch Insp Mawhinney said.
“We began investigating however due to the non specific detail of the location, we did not find anything suspicious.”
A report was then received on Tuesday morning that a local farmer had located a suspect device on a laneway on the Castleblayney Road.
The area was cordoned off on both sides of the border and nearby homes evacuated. The device has been made safe by army bomb experts.
Condemning the bomb and resulting disruption to the local community, Ch Insp Mawhinney said: “This device was designed for one thing and one thing only – to kill or cause serious injury to police officers.
“The people responsible for planting this device and leaving it on this public road exposed to members of the local community for almost 48 hours showed absolutely no regard for human life.
“They do not care who they hurt and simply want to drag people back to the dark days of the past.”
Newry and Armagh MLA Cathal Boylan, who lives in the town, has said there is a lot of anger in the local community at the disruption caused by the device.
“For three days, the local community has been seriously inconvenienced,” he said.
“Families out of their homes, the general public having to take long detours and business affected – the residents of this area are fed up with the fall-out from incidents like this.
“People have moved on and wish to leave things like this where they belong – in the past.”
‘Callous disregard’
SDLP Policing spokesman and Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley said it was lucky the device had been found and defused.
“Those responsible have shown a callous disregard for public safety and there can be little doubt of their intentions – to cause mayhem and carnage,” he said.
“Their cynical and sinister actions as they attempted to lure police and emergency services to their death must be fully condemned.”
DUP councillor William Irwin said: “It is unacceptable and deeply offensive to the law abiding public that lives are placed in danger by dissident republicans who seem intent on causing harm and destruction in our border villages.”
The security alert has also been condemned by the Acting Chair of the Policing Board, Brian Rea.
“The people of Keady have once again been put at risk by the indiscriminate actions of a few who have no regard for human life,” he said.
“Many people have been seriously inconvenienced as police try to deal with this incident and police without doubt need the support and understanding of the community at this time. I would urge anyone with information to bring it to police.”
Detectives want to speak to anyone who was on the Castleblayney Road anytime from last Saturday and who may have witnessed any vehicles or persons acting suspiciously.