Bomb forces OAP's out of home for fifth time this year

The bomb exploded close to the Culmore Park sheltered accommodation as the clock struck on the anniversary of the October 5, 1968, civil rights march in Londonderry - considered by nationalists and republicans as the beginning of the Northern Ireland Troubles.

The 200lb explosion close to an Ulster Bank branch on the Culmore Road has been claimed by the Real IRA who recently deposited a statement in the toilet of a border pub to be collected by an English newspaper stating the organisation would target banks and financial institutions.

Two PSNI officers were injured in the blast sustaining damage to their necks and ears, and yesterday speculation grew that the Da Vinci Complex was not the intended target, as there was a police presence in that area on Monday night. Chief Superintendent Stephen Martin yesterday revealed the police officers remained on duty without treatment until the alert was over. He also revealed that 200 guests were evacuated from a hotel in the locality. Amongst them were American and Japanese tourists. Police, too, confirmed that three warnings - two to hotels and one to a hospital - were given in advance of the detonation of the device which was placed in a Vauxhall Corsa car.

It was also suggested the bombing may have been designed to put pressure on Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness who was in Birmingham to address a fringe meeting of the Conservative Party.

But again the civil rights of old people have suffered. It is the fifth time elderly residents living in sheltered accommodation in the city were forced out of their homes by the activity of republican groups such as the Real IRA and glaigh na hireann.

A mortar attack on Strand Road PSNI station in May and a car bomb attack in early August resulted in old people being evacuated from Lavery Fold on Asylum Road adjacent to the facility.

Old people living in Alexander House in Bishop Street were also forced out of their homes by a hoax bomb alert near the Fountain in March, whilst residents of Donal O'Casey Court were the principal victims when a viable pipe bomb was left outside the Londonderry count centre in during the general election in May.

Alderman Mary Hamilton said while she felt "sickened" by the bombing and the damage it had caused to businesses, and "embarrassed" for tourists who had been ousted from their accommodation, she was "simply outraged" by the fact that elderly people were, yet again, being subjected to the stress of upheaval.

"I work closely with old people in the community and I know they view their homes as a sanctuary. This is the third or fourth time in recent times that this vulnerable group of people have suffered at the hands of bombers whose only mission seems to be to cause disruption and upset to others with their utterly senseless campaign.

"Those responsible for Monday night's bomb have elderly relatives, grannies and grandfathers of their own. How would they like them put out of their homes like this in the middle of the night? Frail people need our care and protection and the people who think they are point scoring by planting bombs under the cover of darkness are nothing but cowards who prey on vulnerable people," she said.

"As a former hotel owner I am also embarrassed by what has happened. I understand a number of tourists were put out of their accommodation and only hope that visitors to this City understand that it is only a few people who are involved in terrorism and that the rest of the people here are angered and distressed by what has happened."