THE IRA's no warning double bombing of the British army headquarters in Lisburn on Monday was over four months in the planning, according to the RUC. The attack was designed to cause "mass murder", the officer in charge of the investigation said yesterday.
Det Chief Supt Derek Martindale said at least three IRA members travelling in three cars one of them a getaway vehicles, penetrated the heavy security of Thiepval Barracks.
He said two Volvo estate cars were used to carry the 800 lb bombs into the barracks and that the bombers escaped in a dark blue Volkswagen Passat car which was found burnt out in est Belfast around the time of the first explosion. One of the "cars, a red Volvo, was bought in early June, indicating that the bomb attack had been planned for over four months.
A team of 40 detectives, backed up by 150 uniformed officers, is involved in the search for the bombers.
Police yesterday published a photofit picture of a man who bought the getaway vehicle. They are also studying video tapes to check if the IRA members were on film as they entered and, drove through the barracks.
They believe, however, that the photofit suspect was disguised in dark glasses and a beard. His jacket hood was also pulled over his head when he bought the VW Passat, making it more difficult to identify him.
The police would give little detail about the video evidence. There is some concern, however, that any video footage of the men may not be sufficiently clear to positively identify the bombers, who may also have been disguised.
Police were also reluctant to disclose any information on how the bombers managed to get the three vehicles, two of which were packed with bulky bags of homemade explosives into the base.
There is speculation that the bombers may have forged passes, or stolen passes from some of the several hundred civilians working at Thiepval, or from people who would have regular legitimate business at the base.
The fact that they placed the car bombs in areas where massive injuries or loss of life were likely indicated they had detailed knowledge of the geography of the barracks. Major planning had gone into the attack, said Det Supt Martindale.
He indicated the police did not believe that civilian staff at the base had conspired with the bombers, although it was an avenue that would be explored.
Det Supt Martindale asked for public assistance in tracing anyone recently connected with the three cars used in the attack a gold Volvo estate 740 GL, registration VXI 4162; a red Volvo estate GLT, registration NIB 8939, and a dark blue VW Passat CL, registration NXI 2310.
The first bomb, which exploded around 4.30 p.m., was packed into the gold Volvo. The second bomb was in the red Volvo parked about 100 yards away outside the medical centre, where the injured from the first explosion were being taken.
Det Supt Martindale said the gold Volvo was bought for about £5,000 cash from a garage near, Lisburn on July 3rd. The red Volvo was bought for the same; cash price in a private sale from, an east Belfast owner through an advertisement placed in the Belfast Telegraph on June 4th, over four months before the bombing.
The VW Passat was bought for £1,800 cash two weeks before the bombing at around 11 p.m. on September 23rd at a car auction in Carryduff on the outskirts of Belfast. The purchaser, depicted in the photofit, was described as approximately 5 ft 7 in, of light build; with a black beard, dark hair, and dark rimmed glasses.
The VW Passat was found burnt out on the Good Shepherd Road in Poleglass in west Belfast.
