ONE MAN HAS been remanded by a court in Derry in connection with the 200 lb bomb attack in Derry. Philip O’Donnell, 42, from Baldrick Crescent in Derry, was charged with causing an explosion likely to endanger life or damage property.
The court was heavily guarded for O’Donnell’s appearance. He faces 12 charges in total, including charges relating for hijacking a taxi and membership of a banned republican organisation.
Chief Inspector Ian Magee told the court that he believed the O’Donnell would interfere with witnesses if released on bail. O’Donnell’s legal team said he suffered from health issues which “require constant care”.
Bail was refused. O’Donnell was ordered to appear in court again on 2 September for a video link hearing. A second man in his 50s is still being questioned by police about the bombing.
Two men forced a taxi driver to take them and the device to a PSNI station on Strand Road 10 days ago. No one was injured in the ensuing explosion, but police said they believe a phone call warning them of the device was deliberately mistimed to increase the likelihood of injury.
A CCTV camera on Strand Road captured the moment of the blast:
The camera is motion-sensitive and only captures images when something moves, so the gap between the car driving away and the explosion is estimated at about 8 minutes.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say