Lurgan family in blast bomb horror

A Catholic family have escaped injury in a blast bomb attack at the home in Lurgan, Co Armagh.

A mother and daughter were in the house at the time when the device exploded at the front door of the house at Demesne Avenue last night.

A second bomb was also found in the garden but was later defused by army technical officers. A sectarian slogan was also reported to have been painted on the garage door of the property.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble condemned the attack as an "abhorrent incident".

“The family which was targeted has lived in the area for 25 years. It is the work of evil people who would endeavour to unsettle anyone in their home by putting lives in jeopardy," he said.

“The rogue element who carry out such attacks are a blight on society. They must step back and realise no cause can be justified by their actions. I would sincerely appeal to anyone who can help the police in their investigation to come forward.”

Police believe the attack was sectarian in nature but a representative of the loyalist Ulster Political Research Group denied any UDA involvement in the incident. The attack follows a UDA statement on Saturday outlining its commitment to cease paramilitary activity over the next 12 months.

However, the outlawed organisation stressed that their renewed commitment to a ceasefire did not represent a decision by the UDA to decommission – that move, the group stated, would only occur once the republican movement had set out their own terms to do so.

(MB)