Police have welcomed the jail sentences handed down to Derry three men who were caught with a pipe bomb in the city two years ago.
The three – Eugene McLoone (56) of Abercorn Road, Daniel Doyle (48) of Bluebell Hill Gardens and Eamonn Cassidy (51) of Glenfada Park – were sentenced to total of twenty-two and a half years at Belfast Crown Court.
They were arrested after police stopped a blue Citroen car on the Buncrana Road on 26 September 2011 as it travelled towards the city.
The car was being driven by McLoone with Doyle in the front passenger’s seat and Cassidy in the rear.
During a search of the vehicle, a viable pipe bomb type device was recovered from under the front passenger seat. Police believe this was to be used in a dissident republican attack.
Doyle and McLoone pleaded guilty to possession of explosives with intent while Cassidy pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of explosives.
Cassidy was sentenced to eight years, Doyle to seven and a half years and McLoone to seven years. Half of the sentences will be in jail, the other half on licence.
Welcoming the sentences, a spokesman for Serious Crime Branch said someone could have been killed or seriously injured if the device had exploded.
He added: “Officers stopped the car on the busy Buncrana Road on a Monday afternoon when there were many local people going about their business.
“We should all be thankful that those in possession of the device were not able to deploy it. Police will continue to combat the threat posed by dissident individuals and groups who plan to use violence to further their agendas.”
The spokesman added: “We would encourage people in the community to continue to work with us to reduce the threat posed by such reckless individuals so that we can bring them before the courts.”
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