Real IRA blamed for Derry gun attack

The Real IRA has been blamed for a gun attack on a former SDLP councillor's house in Derry.

The Real IRA has been blamed for a gun attack on a former SDLP councillor's house in Derry.

The dissident republican group showered Liam Bradley's Brandywell home in glass after a bullet was fired through the front door yesterday. His son James is a police officer.

The round entered the hallway but Mr Bradley, aged in his 60s, and his wife Marie were upstairs and were unhurt.  Mr  Bradley, whose son doesn't live at home, was a councillor from the 1970s to late 1980s and served as deputy mayor.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said dissidents had targeted the former Derry City councillor before.  "They are not showing themselves to be big or strong," he said. "They are showing themselves to be weak and cowardly whenever they pick on easy targets like this."

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He said a mixture of petrol and cooking oil was poured into the family car but it was not set alight during the attack at Lone Moor Road.  "I think the Real IRA used a recognised code work in claiming responsibility to the Derry Journal," Mr Durkan  said.

There have been several dissident republican attacks in Co Derry, including on former Policing Board deputy chairman Denis Bradley and SDLP Assemblyman Pat Ramsey.

A PSNI spokeswoman confirmed an incident had taken place.  "All lines of inquiry are still open," she said.