New IRA Suspected After Car Bomb Explodes Outside Dunmurry Police Station in Belfast
A car bomb exploded outside Dunmurry police station on the outskirts of Belfast in the early hours of Sunday morning, with the PSNI suspecting the New IRA is responsible for the attack — which saw two babies among residents evacuated by officers moments before the device detonated.
Background
The attack bears striking similarities to an incident in March 2026 in which a delivery driver was forced at gunpoint to transport a "crude but viable" explosive device to Lurgan police station in Co Armagh. That device failed to explode. The PSNI has described both incidents as likely the work of dissident republican groups seeking to remain relevant and provoke fear. The current threat level for Northern Ireland-related terrorism remains "substantial," meaning an attack is considered likely.
Key Developments
Shortly after 10:50pm on Saturday 25 April 2026, a delivery driver's car was hijacked in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast. A gas cylinder device was placed in the boot of the vehicle, and the driver was ordered to drive to Dunmurry police station and abandon the car outside the front of the building.
Police personnel immediately activated the station's attack alarm. Officers "courageously ran into danger" to evacuate nearby homes — including those with two babies — before the device exploded. The explosion engulfed the vehicle in flames and scattered debris in all directions. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured. The delivery driver was left "very shaken up" by the experience.
PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton stated that the force's "early working hypothesis is that this may well be the work of the New IRA." He described the device as lacking sophistication but making up for it in "reckless unpredictability" and "murderous intent and capability." An attempted murder investigation has been launched, led by the Terrorism Investigation Unit.
Why It Matters
Political leaders across Northern Ireland united in condemnation. First Minister Michelle O'Neill stated that those behind the attack "speak for absolutely no-one." DUP leader Gavin Robinson called those responsible "neanderthals" trying to drag Northern Ireland backward. SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP described it as a "shocking and dangerous act," while Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn labelled it a "cowardly attempt to cause injury and destruction." Policing Board Chair Brendan Mullan stated the device "was sent to kill officers and cause maximum harm in the heart of a residential area."
What's Next
The PSNI has appealed to the public for any information regarding the hijacked vehicle in the Twinbrook area before 11pm on Saturday. The Terrorism Investigation Unit is leading the attempted murder investigation. Read the full BBC report here.
