(16 Sep 1997) English/Nat A huge bomb explosion caused extensive damage in Northern Ireland and wrecked plans for the Ulster Unionists to re-enter the multi-party peace process talks on Tuesday. David Trimble, the leader of the main pro-British Ulster Unionist Party accused the Irish Republican Army of involvement in the bombing and demanded the expulsion of its political wing, Sinn Fein, from peace talks. But the I-R-A said it did not carry out the attack. Despite the denial, breakaway Loyalist terrorists have said they will step up attacks in response to the bombing. Unnamed sources within the British security forces blame the Continuity Army Council, an I-R-A splinter group, for the bombing. The bomb, which was in a van, at the police station at Markethill in south Armagh exploded at 10:58 GMT. A warning, which was not coded, was telephoned to a local radio station 38 minutes before. Police sources said it contained about 400 pounds (180 kilograms) of explosives. Police had evacuated a local school near the abandoned van and local houses before the bomb went off. They were still moving people from other buildings when the device blasted the area. Police said substantial damage was caused to the police station and the surrounding area. They said no one was reported injured, but a number of people suffered severe shock. Politicians were quick to condemn the van bomb outside the local Royal Ulster Constabulary base. But the most immediate effect was to stop the Ulster Unionists, Northern Ireland's main pro-British unionist party, from going to the talks venue at Castle Buildings, Stormont. Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble left his party's headquarters in Belfast, where he had been deliberating over whether to join the talks, to travel to the scene of the blast in Markethill. He accused the I-R-A of involvement in the bombing and demanded the expulsion of their political wing, Sinn Fein, from peace talks. SOUNDBITE: "Obviously, I and my colleagues completely condemn this attack, and the circumstances of the attack, the location of the attack, and the absence of a warning would lead us to conclude that there is a high level of probability that this was the action of the I-R-A and this merely confirms the warning which we gave on Saturday that there would be a limited resumption of violence by the I-R-A without responsibility. SUPER CAPTION: David Trimble, leader Ulster Unionist Party There has still not been any claim of responsibility for the explosion . Residents of the town were shocked and upset. SOUNDBITE: "What is the peace process? Is this the peace process? We're supposed to have a cease fire, peace process. Is this it today? Is that it down at the foot of town...? SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop SOUNDBITE: "I don't know where the peace is... " SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop Britain's Northern Ireland secretary Mo Mowlam said in a statement that "the attack may well have been a deliberate attempt to sabotage the talks process. We must not let it succeed." The chairman of the multi-party talks, former U-S Senator George Mitchell has also issued a strong condemnation of the attack. But the peace talks process, which began on Monday, was already in trouble even before the explosion. The Ulster Unionists had not yet joined the talks although they indicated it was likely they would do so at some stage. Speaking before the bomb went off, Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein's leader said the Unionists were not attending because they were afraid of change. SOUNDBITE: SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein leader Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/3d743214c9e9ba2ecacfb11732c3beef

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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