UDA blamed for Derry pipe bomb attack 'hate crime'

AN PHOBLACHT has been told that the UDA was behind the latest pipe bomb attack in Derry which the PSNI says its is treating as a “sectarian hate crime”.

The home of a woman in her 20s and from the LGBT community was targeted at the weekend by bombers who left a device on the window sill of her Lincoln Court home in a mainly unionist area of Derry's Waterside.

The bomb exploded on Saturday night, 3 October, without warning around 10pm as the woman sat in her living room.

“The whole lot came in round me,” the woman said.

She described seeing “a big flash and loads and loads of smoke” when the device detonated.

The PSNI has now told the woman that it is not safe for her to remain in the area and is not ruling out paramilitary involvement.

Antrim and Derry

Sinn Féin North Antrim MLA Daithí McKay has called on the PSNI to take action against UDA bombers active in the region.

He was speaking after meeting the PSNI when he raised concerns about the increase in loyalist violence, in particular two bomb attacks in the County Antrim village of Ahoghill on September 10 in which two houses were damaged.

“There has clearly been a worrying increase in UDA activity in Counties Derry and Antrim recently that have included a number of violent attacks and a murder in Ballymoney,” said McKay, referring to Brian McIlhagga who was shot dead by the UDA in January of this year.