29/10/2013

Royal Mail Staff Praised Over Bomb Finds

Justice Minister David Ford has praised staff in Royal Mail sorting offices following the discovery of a number of intended letter bombs in the past week.

A letter bomb was sent to the Public Prosecution Service office in Londonderry on Monday.

The news followed the discovery of two devices in postal sorting offices in County Antrim on Friday, one of which was addressed to PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott.

The Minister was speaking during a visit to the sorting office at Mallusk, where staff intercepted the device.

On the same day, staff at the Lisburn sorting office had intercepted another device addressed to a senior police officer based in Derry.

David Ford said: "There are delivery offices across Northern Ireland handling many thousands of letters and parcels every day. Royal Mail has been very active in putting in place security measures to detect and deal with suspicious packages, which in turn helps to secure and protect our citizens. I was grateful for the opportunity to personally thank some of the staff involved in dealing with our mail and carrying out those security checks. There is an obvious threat to these staff when reckless people abuse the mail system and I commend them for their vigilance."

(IT/CD)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

07 March 2014
Letter Bombs 'Addressed To NI Prison'
Two letter bombs have been discovered at different postal sorting offices in Northern Ireland. Within the space of 24 hours, the devices were found at Royal Mail sorting offices in Londonderry and Lisburn. It is believed the two packages had been addressed to Maghaberry Prison.
02 September 2014
Royal Mail Announces Delivery Offices' Sunday Opening
Royal Mail customers in L'Derry and Belfast will be able to collect parcels from delivery offices on Sunday, as part of a pilot scheme being introduced this week.
14 May 2003
Magherafelt gets £1.3m benefits office
The opening of a £1.3 million Jobs and Benefits Office in Magherafelt has demonstrated government’s continued commitment to social and financial inclusion.
02 September 2004
Bullets intercepted at postal sorting office
Staff at a sorting office in the outskirts of Belfast have intercepted bullets in envelopes addressed to a number of Sinn Fein councillors. Staff at the Royal Mail sorting office in Mallusk raised the alarm on Thursday after 12 suspicious packages were discovered on Wednesday.
28 November 2018
Suspicious Package With 'White Powder' Found At Postal Sorting Office
A suspicious package found at a postal sorting office in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, has been ruled safe following an earlier operation. White powder was discovered in an item at the sorting centre in Mallusk on the morning of Wednesday 28 November.