A bomb found attached to a lorry due to cross the Irish Sea on Brexit day was likely planted by dissident republicans in a terror plot that could have killed many, say police.
Police in Northern Ireland made the chilling discovery at an industrial estate after a report that an explosive device was on a lorry in Belfast docks on January 31.
The report received by police claimed the ferry was due to travel to Scotland.
An intensive search was carried out and nothing was found, and the ferry sailed as planned, arriving safely in Cairnryan.
On Monday, officers received a further report that a device was attached to a lorry belonging to a named haulage company.
After a two-day search, which involved the search of 400 vehicles, a bomb was found attached to a heavy goods vehicle in the Silverwood Industrial Estate in Lurgan, Co Armagh, on Wednesday.
It was made safe by Army bomb disposal officers.
Police have appealed for information from anyone who noticed suspicious activity around the estate on the afternoon and evening of January 31, the day the UK left the EU at 11pm.
Terrorism investigators at Police Service of Northern Ireland have blamed dissident republicans for the bomb plot.
Detective Superintendent Sean Wright, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland's terrorism investigation unit, suggested many could have been killed had the device exploded during the lorry's journey.
He said: “Following communications released by police yesterday of an explosive device in Silverwood Industrial Estate, Lurgan I can confirm that police first received a report on the evening of Friday 31 January that an explosive device was in a lorry in Belfast docks.
"That report informed police that the lorry was due to travel by ferry to Scotland.
"Based on this information police conducted checks of the docks area and worked with the ferry company, Belfast Harbour authorities and Police Scotland to try to locate that device.
"After thorough checks nothing was found.
"The ferry sailed and arrived safely in Scotland.
“On the evening of Monday, police received a further report that the explosive device had been attached to a lorry belonging to a named haulage company.
"This more detailed information enabled police to conduct focused investigations with the haulage company.
"Working throughout the evening of Monday and Tuesday, police and the haulage company eliminated in the region of 400 vehicles in order to locate the explosive device.
"The device was subsequently found attached to a heavy goods vehicle in the Silverwood Industrial Estate.
"That explosive device was made safe by ATO colleagues."
He added: "It is clear from the information available to police that dissident republicans deliberately and recklessly attached an explosive device to a heavy goods vehicle in the full knowledge and expectation that it would put the driver of that vehicle, road users and the wider public at serious risk of injury and possible death.
"Had this vehicle travelled and the device had exploded at any point along the M1, across the Westlink or into the harbour estate, the risks posed do not bear thinking about.
"The only conclusion that we can draw is that once again dissident republicans have shown a total disregard for the community, for businesses and for wider society."
Detective Superintendent Wright said he wanted to hear from anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the industrial estate between 4pm and 10pm on January 31.
"In addition I ask that anyone who was driving in the area and who would have dash-cam footage around these same times that they contact police, as a matter of urgency," he said.
