Shandon Park Golf Club bomb: two cars found burnt out, say PSNI

The chairman of the Police Federation has warned it is only a matter of time until a police officer is killed by dissident republicans.
By The Newsroom
Published 3rd Jun 2019, 16:15 BST
Police and army bomb disposal experts at Shandon Park Golf Club in east Belfast to examine a suspect device under a car in the car park on Saturday.Police and army bomb disposal experts at Shandon Park Golf Club in east Belfast to examine a suspect device under a car in the car park on Saturday.
Police and army bomb disposal experts at Shandon Park Golf Club in east Belfast to examine a suspect device under a car in the car park on Saturday.

Mark Lindsay was speaking after a booby-trap bomb was found under a serving officer’s car at Shandon Park Golf Club in Belfast on Saturday.

Police say they have found two cars linked to the attack, both in north Belfast.

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The PSNI believe “violent dissident republicans” are behind the attack.

“We have to be lucky all the time, they only have to be lucky once,” Mr Lindsay said.

He added that he was “disgusted, devastated but to be perfectly honest, not surprised” at the murder bid.

The targeted officer was “very very shaken and distressed that he should be individually picked out” Mr Lindsay told Radio Foyle.

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“All this man is doing, a family man, is protecting members of our community, and someone is trying to kill him because he’s serving the community,” he added.

Mr Lindsay said the terrorist threat in Northern Ireland has been classified as severe every year since it was created in 2009, which means an attack is “highly likely”.

Officers need to consider their off duty patterns of where they socialise and personal security at their homes, he added.

Detective Supt Sean Wright from the PSNI Terrorism Investigation Unit, yesterday appealed for dashcam footage and witnesses in relation to the attack.

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He also highlighted “all the inherent risks” of leaving an bomb at a busy golf club.

Mr Wright appealed for anyone who was in the area of Green Road, Knockhill Park or Upper Newtownards Road anytime between 10pm on Friday 31 May and 7.30am on Saturday 01 June to come forward.

The detective asked anyone who was in the area around that time and who had dashcam, or who has CCTV around their home in the area, to contact police.

He also appealed for anyone who may have seen a green Skoda Octavia, VRM 01D78089 or a silver SAAB 95, VRM NFZ 3216 in the area in the same period to come forward. Both cars were found burnt out in Etna Drive in north Belfast on Saturday.

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Anyone with information can contact police on 101 and ask to speak to Detectives in the Terrorism Investigation Unit, he said. Alternatively, information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, he added.

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill said she “wholeheartedly” condemned the attack and was “relieved” that no-one was injured.