Bomb Found In L'Derry Car

A bomb has been found in a car in L’Derry which police say was "viable".

Police stopped a car in Westway in the Creggan area on Thursday night and arrested four men, all in their 40s.

The Army was called in to deal with the bomb, while residents were evacuated from their homes.

The bomb was described as "a viable improvised explosive device".

The arrests were made as police continue to investigate ongoing dissident republican activity.

Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey told the BBC the people of Creggan were "once again victims of disruption, distress and anger".

"There was the distress of families being decanted from their homes - some 80 or 90 years of age, some needing medication went out without them," he said.

"So there's always that trauma and worry and the anxiousness of what you're going home to.

"I think people will be waking up and saying thank God this bomb was found. It was en route somewhere and would have caused destruction, if not death, in the city somewhere last night."

BBC Ireland’s Andy Martin said: "There is a significant pocket of dissident republicans operating within the city and there has been for some time. They were loosely aligned to the Real IRA, but we believe that grouping is now part of what is commonly referred to as the new IRA.

"It has joined forces with some groups in east Tyrone and in pockets of Armagh - the group is believed to have been responsible for a number of incidents over the past number of months."

(IT)