Car Bomb Explodes Outside Dunmurry PSNI Station in Attempted Murder Attack
A car bomb exploded outside the Dunmurry PSNI station on the outskirts of Belfast on the night of Saturday, 26 April, after a delivery driver was hijacked in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast and forced to transport the device to the police station — in a reckless attempted murder attack that police believe was carried out by the New IRA.
The explosion, which occurred at approximately 10:50pm, engulfed the car in flames and scattered debris across the area. Two babies were among the residents evacuated by officers moments before the device detonated. Miraculously, no one was killed or seriously injured, a fact attributed to the swift and courageous actions of PSNI officers who ran into danger to clear the area. An attempted murder investigation has been launched by the PSNI's Terrorism Investigation Unit.
Background
The attack began when a male delivery driver was hijacked in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast. Assailants placed a gas cylinder bomb into the boot of the driver's vehicle and forced him to drive to the Dunmurry PSNI station and abandon the car outside. Police at the station activated an attack alarm and began evacuating nearby homes. The device exploded while officers were still moving residents to safety.
The Dunmurry attack is the second such incident in a matter of weeks, following a failed attack in Lurgan in March 2026 in which a delivery driver was also forced to transport a bomb to a police station — a device that failed to detonate. The New IRA claimed responsibility for the Lurgan attack, and the PSNI has stated that the similarities between the two incidents make the group their "early working hypothesis" for the Dunmurry bombing. The use of hijacked vehicles and improvised explosive devices is a tactic that has been used by dissident republican groups in the past.
Key Developments
PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton described the attack as "reckless," "cowardly," and "idiotic," and praised the "courageous" actions of officers who evacuated residents. He noted the "murderous intent and capability that still exists and is regularly deployed against our officers." Chief Constable Jon Boutcher called the perpetrators "mindless idiots" who "wantonly risked the lives of local residents," and used the occasion to highlight what he described as a lack of financial and political support for the PSNI compared to other UK police forces.
Political condemnation was swift and united across the spectrum. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that "those responsible will be brought to justice." First Minister Michelle O'Neill said those behind the attack "speak for absolutely no one," while Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly emphasised the importance of standing together against such "terrorist acts." DUP leader Gavin Robinson described the attackers as "neanderthals with nothing to offer society except destruction and division," while SDLP leader Claire Hanna condemned the explosion as a "dangerous and reckless act."
One local resident, 72-year-old John McGuinness, told reporters that he and his wife would have been "in the absolute full of the blast" if they had left their home a minute earlier — a chilling illustration of how close the attack came to causing civilian casualties.
Why It Matters
The Dunmurry bombing is a stark reminder that dissident republican violence remains a live threat to the peace and stability of Northern Ireland, nearly three decades after the Good Friday Agreement. The New IRA, which rejects the 1998 settlement, has demonstrated both the intent and the capability to carry out attacks on police officers and the communities they serve. The fact that two babies were evacuated from the blast zone underscores the indiscriminate nature of the threat.
The attack also raises serious questions about the security of delivery drivers and other civilian workers who can be coerced into becoming unwitting participants in terrorist attacks. The PSNI has warned that this tactic — forcing civilians to transport devices — is particularly difficult to counter and places innocent people in grave danger. The broader pattern of attacks, including the Lurgan incident in March, suggests a sustained campaign rather than an isolated incident.
Local Impact
For the Dunmurry community, the attack was deeply traumatic. Residents were forced from their homes in the middle of the night, and the sound of the explosion was heard across a wide area. The attack has been described as an assault on the very fabric of a community that has worked hard to build a peaceful and normal life in the years since the Troubles. Local representatives have been emphatic that the community is united in its rejection of violence and its support for the PSNI.
The attack also places renewed pressure on the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK government to ensure adequate resources for the PSNI to counter the ongoing dissident threat. Chief Constable Boutcher's comments about funding disparities are likely to intensify the debate about the level of support provided to policing in Northern Ireland.
What's Next
The PSNI's Terrorism Investigation Unit is pursuing an active investigation, and police have appealed for anyone with information about the hijacking or the attack to come forward. As The Guardian reports, the attack has prompted renewed calls for a coordinated response to the dissident republican threat. Further details of the investigation and community response are available from BBC News.
