Explosion outside police station was attempt 'to kill officers'

A device that exploded in a car outside a police station aimed "to kill officers and cause maximum harm", the chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board has said. Homes were evacuated after the explosion late on Saturday in the Kingsway area of Dunmurry, on the outskirts of Belfast. Members of the public have been asked to avoid the area, with cordons still in place. First Minister Michelle O'Neill said those behind the attack outside Dunmurry station "have no vision, no support, and have nothing to offer our society". Writing on social media, O'Neill added that "our communities deserve peace". "No one is going to deny our young people and future generations that," she said. "We will keep progressing and we will keep moving forward to a better future. I have been in contact with local representatives to extend my solidarity and support to all those impacted." Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood said it was disturbing to wake up to news of a car bomb but added that there were no casualties. She thanked the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and other emergency services who responded to the incident. "It is distressing and disturbing to wake up to the news that a car bomb exploded outside Dunmurry police station," she said. "It is deeply concerning that this comes just weeks after a similar attack just past the other end of Lagan Valley in Lurgan. The good and decent people of Northern Ireland, from right across all communities, rejected the bomb and the bullet in the past and will do so again." Device 'sent to kill officers' Policing Board Chair Brendan Mullan said the explosive device was "sent to kill officers and cause maximum harm in an attack which was in the heart of a residential area". "It is a miracle no one was seriously injured and we thank the officers, ATO and emergency services who initially responded, and have been working to ensure everyone's safety since," he said. Mullan added that this was the second incident at a police station in recent weeks "which is depressing". "The people have spoken when they overwhelmingly endorsed the Good Friday Agreement," he said. "Such acts of violence have no place in a society committed to peace. We stand united in condemnation of those responsible for this terror, and in voicing support for the work of the officers and staff of the PSNI." DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the full facts of what happened must be established urgently. "Those responsible must be identified and brought before the courts," he said. West Belfast MP Paul Maskey said those involved "represent no one, are void of support and have nothing to offer our society". "They should get off the backs of our communities who want to live in peace and continue moving forward to a better future," he said. "What is clear is that the overwhelming majority of the public rejects these ridiculous actions and understands they achieve nothing but disruption." "By targeting a police station in the heart of a residential area, those responsible have shown a total disregard for the lives of local people and for the men and women who work to keep our communities safe," he said.