Bomb attack against Derry army barracks

By Anne Cadwallader

BELFAST — A bomb exploded near the perimeter security fence at Ebrington Barracks, the British Army headquarters in Derry City, on Thursday morning. The explosion took place just before 6:30 and was heard over a wide area of the city.

No casualties were reported, although part of the perimeter fence and an old guardroom were damaged. A similar bomb failed to detonate at a British Army barracks at nearby Ballykelly in February.

This attack was blamed on the "Continuity IRA," which is believed to be allied with Republican Sinn Fein. The group later denied responsibility.

It is also thought that the blast may be the work of the so-called "Real IRA," the group responsible for the Omagh massacre in August 1998. Its cease-fire, called shortly after the Omagh attack, is now believed to exist in name only.

David Trimble, the UUP leader, said it appeared that the attack was part of a wider campaign by dissidents and claimed is was a part of a build-up to an offensive by dissident republicans. The bomb contained five pounds of home-made explosives.

Sinn Fein’s Mitchel McLaughlin agreed that the attack was probably carried out by dissident republicans.

"Quite clearly this is not unrelated to the political crisis," he said. "The political vacuum provides the only space in which this microgroup can operate."