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01/08/2002
Man dies after explosion at TA base
The secretary of state has condemned the murder of a 51-year-old civilian building contractor who died in an explosion at a Territorial Army base in County Londonderry this morning.
At around 7.20am, the man picked up an object which was lying inside Caw Camp on the Limavady Road. The object exploded and although he was immediately rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital where he died shortly afterwards.
In a statement, the secretary of state described the incident as an "utterly contemptible" murder.
Dr Reid said: “It is tragic that another family has been plunged into despair and grief as a result of a savage and cowardly attack.
“Those who murdered this man are determined to bring down the peace process and the Belfast Agreement. Dissident republican bombers and loyalist murder gangs are two sides of the same coin. None of us in Northern Ireland can afford to let them succeed."
Dr Reid appealed for anyone with information on the attack to contact police.
The Limavady Road TA base is currently home to the 211 Ambulance Squadron of the Royal Logistic Corps (Transport) and detachment 253 North Irish Field Ambulance. The army said that the camp is not used for security operations.
An Army spokesman added that the incident was "an outrage, a despicable cowardly attack on an innocent civilian and should be condemned by all law-abiding people".
This type of attack bears some similarities to two other incidents at bases in Northern Ireland and England.
In February last year, a 14-year-old boy was blinded and lost a hand at a camp used by the Parachute Regiment's TA unit in west London. Stephen Menary was injured after he picked up a military-style torch – containing a small quantity of high explosives – outside the White City camp, setting it off.
Almost exactly one year later a civilian worker was severely injured after an explosion close to the perimeter fence of an army training area at Benone beach in Co Londonderry.
In both instances, dissident republicans were blamed for the explosions.
(GMcG)
At around 7.20am, the man picked up an object which was lying inside Caw Camp on the Limavady Road. The object exploded and although he was immediately rushed to Altnagelvin Hospital where he died shortly afterwards.
In a statement, the secretary of state described the incident as an "utterly contemptible" murder.
Dr Reid said: “It is tragic that another family has been plunged into despair and grief as a result of a savage and cowardly attack.
“Those who murdered this man are determined to bring down the peace process and the Belfast Agreement. Dissident republican bombers and loyalist murder gangs are two sides of the same coin. None of us in Northern Ireland can afford to let them succeed."
Dr Reid appealed for anyone with information on the attack to contact police.
The Limavady Road TA base is currently home to the 211 Ambulance Squadron of the Royal Logistic Corps (Transport) and detachment 253 North Irish Field Ambulance. The army said that the camp is not used for security operations.
An Army spokesman added that the incident was "an outrage, a despicable cowardly attack on an innocent civilian and should be condemned by all law-abiding people".
This type of attack bears some similarities to two other incidents at bases in Northern Ireland and England.
In February last year, a 14-year-old boy was blinded and lost a hand at a camp used by the Parachute Regiment's TA unit in west London. Stephen Menary was injured after he picked up a military-style torch – containing a small quantity of high explosives – outside the White City camp, setting it off.
Almost exactly one year later a civilian worker was severely injured after an explosion close to the perimeter fence of an army training area at Benone beach in Co Londonderry.
In both instances, dissident republicans were blamed for the explosions.
(GMcG)
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