The Bishop of Derry Dr Seamus Hegarty has denounced the Real IRA attacks on the families of Catholic PSNI officers as nothing short of cowardly. Dr. Hegarty made his comments after relatives of a serving PSNI officer were targeted by dissident bombers in Derry last weekend.
The first device exploded outside his parents' home in Shantallow, while a second device was found outside his sister's home at Kylemore Park.
Both incidents were later claimed by the Real IRA.
Speaking to The Derry Journal newspaper, Bishop Hegarty said:
"The recent upsurge in so-called punishment attacks and the attack on the relatives of a police officer, which was clearly an attempt to intimidate, are a very worrying development. Like the vast majority of people, I condemn these senseless acts. The people who have carried out these attacks have nothing to offer but death and destruction and every effort must be made to ensure that they do not succeed in their attempts to drag our community back into the dark days of endless violence and suffering.
"In condemning the attack on the relatives of the police officer, I take the opportunity to acknowledge the courage of the many young nationalists who have joined the PSNI and hope that despite the threats many more will join. It is only when we have a police service that is representative of the whole community that everyone will have confidence in policing. I ask those responsible for this cowardly activity to desist and join with the many others who are working to make the island of Ireland a better place for all people."
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