Irish Republican News · November 24, 2003

Petrol bomb attacks in Derry

Republican dissidents have been blamed for an attack on the home of the North's Policing Board vice-chairman, Denis Bradley.

Mr Bradley's house in Derry received minor scorch damage in the attack last night. He was elsewhere, but his wife and son were in the house at the time of the attack.

Speaking this morning Mr Bradley said: ``I won't be leaving any Policing Board, I won't be leaving anything. It was two children who did this to me - some adult sent them out - there was no real damage.''

But he warned: ``There will be deaths some day, someone will be killed, someone will be hurt.''

The `Real IRA' has issued blanket threats against all members of the Policing Board, which oversees the operation of the PSNI police, and the local District Policing Partnerships.

Sinn Féin chairman Mr Mitchel McLaughlin branded those responsible for the attack as ``mindless idiots''.

Mr McLaughlin also described attacks on homes in the loyalist Fountain area of Derry as ``absolutely disgusting''.

In the latest attack, three petrol bombs were thrown into the area around 8.50pm on Wednesday.

Police vehicles were targeted by an additional five petrol bombs as PSNI patrols went to investigate. Four petrol bombs were later thrown at a police vehicle in the Bogside.

No-one was injured in any of the incidents.

Police believe attacks on the Fountain estate are designed to lure patrols into follow-up traps in the Bogside.

The PSNI blamed ``young hooligans'' for the attacks.

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