Real Crime/Paranormal/Conspiracy Theories Book III

Claudy Bombing

The Claudy bombing occurred on31 July 1972, when three car bombs exploded mid-morning, two on MainStreet and one on Church Street in Claudy in County Londonderry,Northern Ireland. The attack killed nine civilians, injured thirtyand became known as "Bloody Monday". Those whoplanted the bombs had attempted to send a warning before theexplosions took place. The warning was delayed, however, because thetelephones were out of order due to an earlier bomb attack. TheProvisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) issued an immediate denial ofresponsibility, and later stated that "an internal court ofinquiry" had found that its local unit did not carry out theattack. On the thirtieth anniversary of the bombing, there was areview of the case and in December 2002 it was revealed that the IRAhad been responsible for the bomb explosions.

On 24 August 2010, following aneight-year investigation, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Irelandpublished a report into the bombing, which stated that the RoyalUlster Constabulary (RUC) believed in the early 1970s that FatherJames Chesney, a local Roman Catholic priest, was the IRA'squartermaster and Director of Operations of the South Derry Brigade. The report found that the possibility of his involvement inactivities including the Claudy bombing was covered up by seniorpolice officers, government ministers and the Roman Catholichierarchy.

Bombing

On 31 July 1972 at about 4:00 am, theBritish Army had begun Operation Motorman. This was an operation toregain control of the "no-go areas" (areascontrolled by Irish republican paramilitaries) that had beenestablished in Belfast and Derry. The bombing of Claudy may have beena response to this operation.

Shortly before 10:00 am, three carbombs were placed in the centre of the village, which was busy withshoppers at the time. Initial police investigations found that a carwas seen traveling from Claudy at 10:00. It had stopped at the nearbyvillage of Feeny, where a passenger tried to use the public telephonebox, which was out-of-order. The car then traveled to Dungiven whereit stopped on Main Street. Two men got out and went into separateshops to use the telephones, which were also out of order following abomb attack at the local telephone exchange. The men then asked theshop assistants to tell the police at Dungiven that there were threebombs in Claudy, but by this time the first bomb had alreadydetonated.

The first bomb, hidden inside a stolenFord Cortina, exploded at 10:15 outside McElhinney's pub and shop onMain Street. A second bomb, hidden inside a stolen Mini Travellerparked outside the post office on Main Street, was spotted by apolice officer, who then began directing people away from the areatowards Church Street. At 10:30, a bomb hidden inside a stolen MorrisMini Van detonated outside the Beaufort Hotel on Church Street,killing three people, two of whom had been injured in the firstexplosion. The bomb outside the post office on Main Street explodedalmost simultaneously, causing extensive damage to buildings andvehicles but as the area had been cleared, there was no loss of life.

Investigations

RUC investigation

The IRA chief of staff Seán MacStíofáin stated local IRA units and operations staff had deniedinvolvement in the attack. In December 2002, following a review ofintelligence and other material related to the bomb explosions inClaudy, it was revealed that Father James Chesney had been a leadingmember of the IRA's South Derry Brigade. Derry politician IvanCooper (of the Social Democratic and Labour Party), stated in 2002that the IRA and Father James Chesney (a Catholic priest from thenearby parish of Desertmartin) were involved in the attack. Cooperstated: