Four pipe bombs found in a cemetery in Northern Ireland were “viable” and are attributable to the New IRA, police have said.

Officers sealed off the City Cemetery in Creggan, Londonderry, on Tuesday, following the discovery of the devices.

Police said the pipe bombs were discovered following a republican parade on Easter Monday – in the same area where clothes worn by participants were removed under the cover of umbrellas and burnt.

Chief Superintendent Nigel Goddard said: “Our colleagues from Terrorism Investigation Unit are continuing with their inquiries into this.

Joe Biden visit latest: DUP responds to Biden’s plea for return to power sharing in Stormont

“At this time, the main line of inquiry is these pipe bombs are attributable to the New IRA.”

The devices were discovered just hours ahead of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland.

On Tuesday, Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said the discovery of the devices was a “sinister and worrying” development.

Sky News reporter

The full name for the New IRA is the New Irish Republican Army – although its members describe it as simply the Irish Republican Army.

The organisation was dubbed the New IRA by the press after the Real IRA merged with Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) and other small militant groups in 2012.

In a statement at the time of the group’s formation signed off by the “IRA Army Council”, they claimed Irish people had been “sold a phoney peace, rubber-stamped by a token legislature in Stormont”.

“The IRA’s mandate for armed struggle derives from Britain’s denial of the fundamental right of the Irish people to national self-determination and sovereignty,” it said.

“So long as Britain persists in its denial of national and democratic rights in Ireland the IRA will have to continue to assert those rights.”

The New IRA is distinct from the Provisional IRA, the Republican paramilitaries who fought in The Troubles.

The Provisional IRA declared a ceasefire in 1997 and formally ended its armed campaign in July 2005, although security assessments in 2015 and 2020 revealed it still existed.

The New IRA admitted responsibility for the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, 29, who was shot in the head as she covered rioting on the Creggan estate in Derry in 2019.

Several men are currently awaiting trial charged with the murder.

“The actions of those responsible are reprehensible and show a complete disregard and utter contempt for the community,” he said.

“These suspected pipe bombs were left in a cemetery a place where people lay loved ones to rest and visit to pay their respects. That is absolutely shameful.”

Police vehicle attacked on Easter Monday

It comes after officers condemned a petrol bomb attack on officers in Derry during an Easter Monday parade as “senseless and reckless”.

The incendiary devices were thrown at an armoured police Land Rover in Creggan while officers attended what they described as an “unnotified” march by dissident republicans.

The vehicle, which was being used in the monitoring of the parade at the time of the Londonderry attack, was withdrawn from the scene and no one was reported injured.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Read more:
Why the Good Friday Agreement remains a transformative moment in history
Tony Blair calls for ‘leadership’ as he reflects on Good Friday Agreement

The incident was condemned by political leaders in Northern Ireland, including Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill, who described the violent scenes as “deplorable”.

The incident happened on Easter Monday, which this year coincided with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement – a peace deal that largely ended three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

It is also the day dissident republicans traditionally mark the anniversary of the Easter Rising rebellion against British rule in 1916.

Terror threat level raised in Northern Ireland

Police had warned that they had “strong” intelligence terror attacks were being planned against their officers on Easter Monday.

MI5 recently raised the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

This followed the shooting of senior detective John Caldwell in Co Tyrone, who has been left with life-changing injuries.

Police have blamed the New IRA for the attack.

Related posts:

Government adviser became Greensill director months after taking Whitehall role PM warns Britons not to travel to amber list countries on holiday ‘One of the funniest men I ever knew’: Comedy stars lead tributes to Sean Lock UK records 32,651 new COVID cases and 178 further deaths – with 8,068 patients in hospital Driver jailed for two crashes which left one man dead and another paralysed Claims of bullying on The Apprentice are ‘unsubstantiated’, according to spokesperson NHS boss’s husband drove her to A&E with suspected stroke amid concern over ambulance delays Five-year-old boy was excluded 17 times: Report calls for primary school exclusions to be banned ‘My dear mother-in-law’: Camilla’s warm tribute in first speech as Queen Consort Warning of knock-on effect after health workers’ strikes – plus the walkouts planned today Man hit with horseshoe in loud music row died of rare brain injury Security driver who handcuffed himself to steering wheel during fake heist is jailed