LAST UPDATE | 20 Jan 2019

POLICE IN NORTHERN Ireland are investigating a suspected car bomb which detonated outside a courthouse in Derry yesterday evening. 

The explosion occurred shortly after 8pm on Bishop Street in the city centre. It is understood that the PSNI were given advanced warning of the detonation. There are no reports of any injuries. 

A photograph from the scene which was tweeted by the PSNI showed a large blaze in the centre of the street. 

In a statement on its Facebook page yesterday evening, the PSNI said that a second “suspicious” car had been checked at the scene and that the police force “was now just dealing with an extensive crime scene”. 

Politicians have condemned the suspected bomb, with former deputy mayor of Derry and current DUP MLA Gary Middleton describing it as a “disgraceful act of terrorism”. 

SDLP MLA Mark Durkan said that whoever was responsible for the explosion “clearly hasn’t got the message that the people of Derry do not want this on our streets”. 

“We are trying to move Derry forward and will not let anyone drag us back to the dark days of the past,” he said. 

Tánaiste Simon Coveney condemned the attack saying that “there is no place and no justification possible for such acts of terror, which seek to drag Northern Ireland back to violence and conflict.”

DUP leader Arlene Foster tweeted that this “pointless act of terror must be condemned in the strongest terms.”

This pointless act of terror must be condemned in the strongest terms. Only hurts the people of the City.
Perpetrated by people with no regard for life.
Grateful to our emergency services for their swift actions which helped ensure there have been no fatalities or injuries. https://t.co/IMJ7Dn9rAa

— Arlene Foster (@DUPleader) January 19, 2019

“Only hurts the people of the City. Perpetrated by people with no regard for life. Grateful to our emergency services for their swift actions which helped ensure there have been no fatalities or injuries.”