The mum of a six-year-old who picked up the remains of an exploded pipe bomb says the attack may have been sectarian.
The woman, who is too scared to be identified, spoke out after the mangled remains of the device were carried into her home by the little boy on Tuesday night.
Police believe the device had detonated prior to being lifted by the youngster in the Curlew Way area of Derry’s Waterside.
Officers said it showed the “blatant disregard by those responsible” for leaving it there.
The mother-of-three said her son brought the piece of metal into her Waterside home as she and her twin toddler daughters were eating dinner.
Not knowing what the object was, she left it on her kitchen table as she put the children to bed before being prompted to phone police by her worried mother. Police then cordoned off the area and remain at the scene today.
She said she believes she has been targeted because she has Catholic friends who visit her home in the Protestant Clooney Estate .
She said: “I think I was targeted because of religion. This is a Protestant area. I was born and raised here. I have people from across the town, Catholic friends, who come to my house and obviously people around here don’t agree with that, so this is the outcome. It’s ridiculous, but what can I do?
“I’m terrified and I don’t want to stay here with my children. I want out.”
A police investigation is ongoing. Detective Inspector Michael Winters said: “Our enquiries are at an early stage, however, it appears at this time the device had detonated prior to it being lifted by the young boy.
“While this was not a live device, the fact a young boy found it and lifted it shows the blatant disregard by those responsible for leaving it there. It was completely reckless.
“I want to appeal to anyone who has information about this to contact detectives at Strand Road on the non emergency number 101, quoting reference number 2084 of 21/05/19.”
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