BRITISH ARMY technical officers yesterday defused a bomb left in the garden of one of Derry’s best-known doctors.
The device was found by a PSNI patrol at the home of retired GP Dr Keith Munro at Learmount Road near the Co Derry village of Claudy at 2am yesterday.
Five hours later, about 16km away in the townland of Tamnaherin near Eglinton, a bomb exploded outside the unoccupied home of a Catholic police officer.
The explosion at Ervey Road caused blast damage to the front of the officer’s home but no one was injured in the no-warning blast. The officer joined the PSNI three years ago; his home is beside the grounds of Slaughtmanus GAA club and close to St Mary’s Church.
A senior police officer in Derry said he had no doubt that both attacks had been carried out by the Real IRA.
Dr Munro, chairman of the Foyle Hospice in Derry, has been a police medical officer for more than 40 years.
In that capacity he carried out medical examinations on suspects in police custody. A prominent member of the Baha’i community, he is also the author of a book, Building Bridges.
It is the first time a police medical officer has been targeted by a paramilitary group in the North.
Three men, two aged 36 and the third aged 28, were arrested in Derry yesterday morning and taken to the serious crime suite at Antrim police station for questioning about both incidents.
It is believed police have linked the incidents to the discovery of two burning cars in the Brandywell area of Derry early yesterday, one at Iona Court and the other at Moore Walk.
Later, members of a passing police patrol spotted a suspicious device in the garden of Dr Munro’s home nearly 20km from Derry.
Dr Munro and his wife were immediately taken out of their home before the area was sealed off by the police pending the arrival of bomb disposal experts.
PSNI Chief Supt Stephen Martin told reporters: “We are working along very definite lines of inquiry and I have absolutely no doubt that this was the work of the Real IRA.”
He added: “Throughout the worst of the Troubles, never ever was a medical officer attacked. It was accepted by everyone that they were neutral medical officers carrying out work on behalf of the community and the departure from that position is certainly a new low of all lows.
“Not only that, but this doctor’s position in society in the Derry area in terms of his voluntary Foyle Hospice work and in terms of his continuing medical work is respected by everyone, except by those who placed this bomb in the garden of his home.
“I know this doctor and I have spoken to him today and he’s back at his work in the Foyle Hospice, which tells you something about his dedication to his hospice patients,” said Chief Supt Martin.
“I can also say that the young officer whose home was damaged in the explosion will also be back at work today, like the doctor, serving his community. He discovered the damage to his home when he finished his duty early this morning and, having spoken to him this morning, he said he’s determined to report back to duty later today.”