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66-Year-Old Charged After Gas Cylinder Bomb Targets Dunmurry Police

5/2/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The New IRA said the bombing was intended to kill police officers as they left Dunmurry Station.
Police arrested a 66-year-old man under the Terrorism Act, charged him with attempted murder after a hijacked delivery driver’s car fitted with a gas cylinder in Twinbrook exploded outside Dunmurry Police Station.
Detectives received an extra 36 hours to question the suspect, who was detained in the Dunmurry area on April 28.

History

Historical Context

The 15 August 1998 Real IRA car bomb in Omagh, containing 500 lb of explosives, killed 29 civilians and injured 220, becoming the Troubles’ deadliest attack and prompting new security legislation. Decades later the New IRA repeated the civilian-vehicle tactic with a gas-cylinder bomb outside Dunmurry police station, underscoring the lingering threat from dissident republican groups.

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Story summary

The New IRA said the bombing was intended to kill police officers as they left Dunmurry Station.
Police arrested a 66-year-old man under the Terrorism Act, charged him with attempted murder after a hijacked delivery driver’s car fitted with a gas cylinder in Twinbrook exploded outside Dunmurry Police Station.
Detectives received an extra 36 hours to question the suspect, who was detained in the Dunmurry area on April 28.

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