THERE HAS been widespread condemnation of an arson attack in the early hours of yesterday on the home of a Sinn Féin minister and Westminster MP.
Dissident republicans are being blamed for the attack on Conor Murphy’s home in Camlough, Co Armagh, which caused his family to spend the night with neighbours. Windows were scorch-damaged and two cars were set alight on the road outside the house.
The elderly parents of Mr Murphy’s wife live next door.
Mr Murphy, the Regional Development Minister, said: “This is a cowardly attack on my family home. While there was damage to two cars and a risk that the house would be set alight, thankfully no one was injured.”
He praised the Fire and Rescue Service and insisted he would not be intimidated from his work as a public representative.
The Murphy family were “fairly traumatised”, he said.
“If the petrol tanks in both cars had exploded I think the two houses would have gone on fire and the people in there would have been in grave danger.
“The people who . . . did this had no regard for the safety of any of the people in either house. It was just an intent to cause damage and quite potentially a loss of life.”
He told the BBC: “The reality is the people who sneaked into my yard last night and traumatised my kids, my parents-in-law, my wife haven’t offered any explanation as to . . . what they’re about.
“It is incumbent on them to do so and let people decide whether they offer a better way forward. Until such times as these people come out from under cover of darkness, we can’t actually ascertain who they are or what their motives are,” Mr Murphy added.
The attack, which is being treated by the PSNI as malicious, is the latest in a series of attacks and threats on SF members and properties.
“Sinn Féin members have been attacked and killed in the past by those opposed to progress and the rights of nationalists and republicans. They will not succeed in undermining the progress we are making or the rights of any Irish citizen living in this part of Ireland.”
Alliance leader David Ford said the incident was an “attack on democracy”.
SDLP Assembly member Dominic Bradley said the attack was “senseless and cowardly” and called for the people of Newry and Camlough to unite and to “hand over any information about this incident to the police so we can marginalise those who carry out these awful attacks”.