Workers being threatened by masked men and told to drive bombs to Derry’s police headquarters is a “worrying” development, local SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey has said.
Strand Road police station.
Mr Ramsey was speaking after a van driver was threatened by two masked men at High Park in the Creggan area of the city last night and told to take a package to the PSNI station on Strand Road in the city centre.
It follows last week’s incident in which a masked man placed a bomb on a bus in Ballymagroarty and told the driver to take it to same police station.
Mr Ramsey said he “unreservedly” condemned the incidents which he said were “unjustified” attempts to cause “chaos and destruction.”
He added: “Those behind these attacks do not speak for the people of Derry and have no support among ordinary, decent people trying to get on with their lives.
“It is particularly worrying that workers in the city continue to be targeted by these thugs. Not content with causing misery and chaos, they choose to drag innocent, hard working bystanders into their destructive attacks.
Mr Ramsey concluded: “My sympathies are with the van driver and the residents of the High Park area who totally reject this kind of activity. I would appeal to anyone with information to contact the PSNI.”
Last night’s incident occurred around 8.00pm when the man, who was delivering food to a house, was approached and threatened by two men who had scarves covering their faces.
After threatening the delivery man they told him to drive a package to the PSNI station on Strand Road.
However, the driver ran off and alerted police.
The man was not injured but was left badly shaken by the incident.
The van was taken away to be excamined by police forensic experts.
Police have appealed to anyone who witnessed the incident or anyone with any information to contact detectives at Strand Road on 0845 600 8000.
A PSNI spokesperson said if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they could contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.
It is the second time within a week that drivers in the city have been targeted.
Last Wednesday night, masked man placed a bomb on a bus in Ballymagroarty and the driver told to take it to the same police station.
However, the female driver drove the bus out of the densely-populated estate to a “safer place” on Northland Road where she abandoned the vehicle before raising the alarm.
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