document: Car bomb kills N. Ireland policeman Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured . Irish PM Enda Kenny called the attack '' `` heinous and pointless . '' '' François Lenoir/Reuters A Catholic policeman who had just joined Northern Ireland 's police force was killed Saturday when a bomb exploded as he was getting into his car . Police have pointed the finger at the Irish Republican Army in the first deadly attack on security forces in the country in more than two years . The IRA has stated it would target Irish Catholics who join the police force . The policeman , 25 , was killed in Omagh , a town forever linked with the IRA 's most deadly attack - a1998 bombing that killed 29 people in a busy shopping area . '' `` Those who carried it out want to drag us back to the misery and pain of the past , '' '' Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Saturday , calling it a '' `` heinous and pointless act of terror . '' '' '' `` They are acting in defiance of the Irish people , '' '' Kenny said . Leaders from the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities united in condemning the act and vowed to bring the attackers to justice . '' `` The people of Omagh are stunned , '' '' said local politician Joe Byrne , adding the new attack has brought back memories of the 1998 bombing , in which mostly women and children were killed . No one has ever been successfully prosecuted for that crime . Most IRA members renounced violence and disarmed in 2005 , opening the way for Protestants and Catholics to form a united government . Since then , IRA dissidents have planted dozens of booby-trap bombs under the private cars of police officers . While most have failed to detonate , two policemen have lost their legs in such attacks . In 2009 , two off-duty British soldiers and a policeman were shot dead . Last year , car bombs were detonated outside businesses , security installations and a courthouse , but no one was injured .
extractive_keyphrases: 2009 communities 2005 carried northern joined government condemning target irish catholics protestant pointed deadly 25 irish prime minister enda kenny omagh courthouse killed private pointless united policeman british successfully attack heinous stated installations disarmed prosecuted dead linked republican catholics a1998 bombing country injured bomb detonated town shopping memories acting leaders justice dissidents attackers planted children calling security officers protestants ira saturday 1998 bombing members kenny women policemen irish pm enda two years catholic defiance opening renounced
abstractive_keyphrases: irish prime killed 29 irish prime minister franois lenoirreuters heinous and pointless target deadly attack successfully prosecuted protestant communities british protestant communities franois bombing