136kg car bomb found outside school

[[R_H]]

news.com.au

A 136KG car bomb was discovered close to a school in Northern Ireland, police have revealed saying those who left it showed a "callous disregard" for life.

The home-made device was in the back of a black Volkswagen car in the village of Castlewellan in the southeast of the British province.

Police and army disposal experts have been conducting tests on the vehicle since Tuesday, when a telephone warning was received, but did not divulge the details of the bomb.

The device has now been made safe.

The callers claimed the bomb was originally intended for a nearby British army base but had been abandoned.

Bomb discoveries in Northern Ireland are now rare compared to the heights of The Troubles, the three decades of sectarian violence in the province, but authorities still warn of a deadly threat posed by dissident groups.

"The people who have carried this out showed a callous disregard for the lives of everyone in our community," said police superintendent Greg Blain.

"They planted a large viable device in a car, abandoned it in an area close to local houses and schools, and then phoned through vague warnings about the locality and nature of the threat. area at risk and simply have nothing to offer society.

"Those who operate under various flags of convenience are simply terrorists and criminals who wish to drag everyone back to the dark days of the past by using violence as a so-called political tool.

"I would call on all in our community who want to see a happier and more peaceful present and future to give us the information to detect and bring these criminals to justice."

Tensions were raised in Northern Ireland on Wednesday when protesters disrupted the unveiling of a report dealing with the legacy of The Troubles, furious at planned payments to families of dead paramilitaries.

The three decades of civil unrest in Northern Ireland, in which about 3,000 people were killed, largely ended with the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement.

The decade since then saw repeated faltering efforts to bring self-rule to Belfast, which led the way to a landmark power-sharing deal last year between Protestant parties wanting to keep Northern Ireland linked to Britain, and Catholic parties seeking union with the Republic of Ireland.

[NomAnor15]

A 136KG car bomb was discovered close to a school in Northern Ireland, police have revealed saying those who left it showed a "callous disregard" for life.

No shit.

In all seriousness though, I had no idea this kind of thing still happened in Ireland. I guess I'm too young to remember any of the real problems they had, but today when you think "car bomb" it's hardly the first place that springs to mind.

[Raptor]

Well that 'compenstation' plan went down well. Sorry not compenstation, but 'drawing a line' under the Troubles. Wonder who planted it. Probably Protestants, after the anger at the unveiling of the plan last week. If its the IRA, them ending the 'campaign' was  waste of time.

[LadyTevar]

A 136KG car bomb was discovered close to a school in Northern Ireland, police have revealed saying those who left it showed a "callous disregard" for life.

No shit.

In all seriousness though, I had no idea this kind of thing still happened in Ireland. I guess I'm too young to remember any of the real problems they had, but today when you think "car bomb" it's hardly the first place that springs to mind.

Yes. You are too damned young to remember.

The Suicide Bombings you've seen on TV? Shopping centers, pubs, city streets, markets... Same Shit as The Troubles... but the Irish wouldn't suicide because that's a sin. Besides, if you're dead, you can't plant more bombs.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Too young? What age? I remember enjoying one sunny Saturday afternoon after walking the dog, only to find some arsehole saw it a good idea to leave a truck bomb in the middle of Manchester city centre. That wasn't more than 13 years ago.

[White Haven]

...Some people need a lesson in the obvious. NO FUCKING SHIT it displays a 'callous disregard for life.' It's...a...fucking...BOMB. What do the local police expect as the alternative, a piñata with a bursting charge?

[Coyote]

Didn't the IRA once use a mortar van to attack... Parliament? Or #10 Downing street, or something? Someplace that would ordinarily be really secure... all that Northern Ireland stuff wasn't so long ago, I remember when that shit was a hot as any place in the Middle East.

[ray245]

Well that 'compenstation' plan went down well. Sorry not compenstation, but 'drawing a line' under the Troubles. Wonder who planted it. Probably Protestants, after the anger at the unveiling of the plan last week. If its the IRA, them ending the 'campaign' was  waste of time.

How the situation like in Northern Ireland? Plus, I thought the IRA themselves was rather divided?

[Admiral Valdemar]

Didn't the IRA once use a mortar van to attack... Parliament? Or #10 Downing street, or something? Someplace that would ordinarily be really secure... all that Northern Ireland stuff wasn't so long ago, I remember when that shit was a hot as any place in the Middle East.

Nearly right. It was a boat. In the Thames. With an RPG. And it hit Vauxhal Cross a.k.a. SIS HQ a.k.a. MI6. Fortunately, such a tiny device and the fact that the walls are reinforced with steel armour (or Chobham, as I've heard elsewhere) helped minimise it to superficial damage.

[thejester]

Didn't the IRA once use a mortar van to attack... Parliament? Or #10 Downing street, or something? Someplace that would ordinarily be really secure... all that Northern Ireland stuff wasn't so long ago, I remember when that shit was a hot as any place in the Middle East.

Nearly right. It was a boat. In the Thames. With an RPG. And it hit Vauxhal Cross a.k.a. SIS HQ a.k.a. MI6. Fortunately, such a tiny device and the fact that the walls are reinforced with steel armour (or Chobham, as I've heard elsewhere) helped minimise it to superficial damage.

There was also an attack on 10 Downing Street with a mortar in '91.

[Kanastrous]

I'll admit to being old enough to remember the IRA bombings in London on August 2, 1982. Grotesque.

[Crazy_Vasey]

Well that 'compenstation' plan went down well. Sorry not compenstation, but 'drawing a line' under the Troubles. Wonder who planted it. Probably Protestants, after the anger at the unveiling of the plan last week. If its the IRA, them ending the 'campaign' was  waste of time.

How the situation like in Northern Ireland? Plus, I thought the IRA themselves was rather divided?

The PIRA is pretty much done, but there are splinter groups such as the Real IRA who, while nowhere near as large or as capable as the PIRA was during the Troubles, are still committed to the idea of a united Ireland and aren't shy of using violence towards that end, The situation is largely calm for now but it's far from over.

[Starglider]

There was also an attack on 10 Downing Street with a mortar in '91.

From the article;

Three mortar rounds were fired from an abandoned van this morning toward the offices of Prime Minister John Major in 10 Downing Street, and one exploded in the backyard as he presided over his war Cabinet. "I think we'd better start again somewhere else," a startled Mr. Major told the group as a loud bang cracked but did not shatter the bulletproof windows in the Cabinet room.

further evidence for Major being an underrated PM.