Northern Ireland car bomb attack: two arrested after blast outside Londonderry courthouse

Two people have been arrested in relation to a car bomb attack outside a Londonderry courthouse.

Police said their main line of inquiry is that the New IRA militanat group was responsible for the attack.

The Irish nationalist New IRA is one of a small number of militant groups opposed to a 1998 peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in the British-run province. They have carried out sporadic attacks in recent years.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said he did not see the bombing as an escalation of militant groups' capabilities but a continuation of a threat that has been officially at the "severe" level for 10 years.

No one was injured the attack, which happened shortly after 8pm on Saturday when a vehicle exploded on Bishop Street.

Mr Hamilton said hundreds of people, including hotel guests and children from a church youth club were evacuated from the area.

"At around 7.55pm last night officers on patrol in Bishop Street spotted a suspicious vehicle and were making checks when, around five minutes later, information was received that a device had been left at the courthouse," he said.

"We moved immediately to begin evacuating people from nearby buildings including hundreds of hotel guests, 150 people from the Masonic Hall and a large number of children from a church youth club.

"The device detonated at 8.10pm."

It is believed the vehicle was hijacked from a delivery driver in Quarry Street a short time before the explosion.

Mr Hamilton condemned the attack as “unbelievable reckless.”

"Thankfully the attackers failed to kill or injure any members the local community out socialising and enjoying the best of what the city has to offer," he said.

"The people responsible for this attack have shown no regard for the community or local businesses. They care little about the damage to the area and the disruption they have caused."

The attack has been labelled an act of terrorism and condemned from both sides of government.

Dissident Republican group Saraodh has said it believes it was carried out by "revolutionary republicans".

The Mayor of Derry John Boyle has challenged those responsible to explain themselves.

"I would actually like to ask the people responsible for this what it actually was that they thought they were going to achieve.

It achieves nothing, it didn't achieve anything in the past, it didn't achieve anything right now," the SDLP mayor said.

"This is the past and it has to stay in the past. We don't want to see any more of it."

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley has said those behind the bomb attack will not prevail.

"This attempt to disrupt progress in Northern Ireland has rightly been met with utter condemnation from all parts of the community.

"The small number of people responsible have absolutely nothing to offer Northern Ireland's future and will not prevail.

"Our voices across the political spectrum are united. This is intolerable violence and we want to look forward and build a peaceful future for all in Northern Ireland.

"Thank you to the PSNI and emergency services who are working so hard to keep people safe and secure."