Dunmurry car bomb: Man appears in court over attempted murder

A 66-year-old man has appeared in court in connection with a car bomb explosion outside Dunmurry Police Station near Belfast, which occurred last Saturday night. Kieran Smyth, from Beechmount Avenue, faces multiple charges including attempted murder and causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury. Additional allegations against him include hijacking, possession of explosives with intent to endanger life, and possession of articles for use in terrorism.

Smyth’s initial court appearance took place via videolink at Lisburn Magistrates’ Court, where a detective inspector from the serious crime branch presented evidence linking Smyth to the incident. The police detailed their investigation, explaining that at 22:09 BST on 25 April a phone call was made to a Chinese restaurant in Belfast, ordering a delivery to Summerhill Park in the Twinbrook area. When the delivery driver arrived at 22:43 BST, he was confronted by two men, one of whom allegedly threatened him with a pistol and forced him to transport a gas canister bomb placed in the vehicle’s rear.

The driver was given a 30-minute ultimatum to deliver the car to Dunmurry Police Station, where he raised the alarm upon arrival. The bomb exploded at 23:15 BST while police officers were evacuating the area. The detective inspector described the blast as dangerous enough to have “clearly… killed anyone within close proximity.” The device detonated under challenging circumstances, as nearby homes were also being evacuated to minimize harm.

Regarding the evidence linking Smyth to the crime, police revealed that the phone used to contact the Chinese restaurant had been topped up on the day of the explosion. CCTV footage reportedly shows a man believed to be Smyth using a top-up machine in a nearby shop. Following this, a £20 top-up was made to a Monzo bank account connected to him. Smyth’s defence solicitor contested the strength of this evidence, stating that the prosecution could only prove a connection to the phone top-up and the subsequent call to the restaurant. However, the judge ruled that the charges were all interconnected and deemed the evidence sufficient to link Smyth to all offenses. Smyth was remanded in custody and is due to appear again in court on 18 May, with no bail application submitted at this stage

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