GAA club condemns murder bid on ex-PSNI officer

The former Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club of an ex-PSNI officer who was seriously injured by a dissident republican bomb has said it condemns the attempted murder "unequivocally and without any ambiguity".

Peadar Heffron had spoken of the hurt he feels towards Kickhams Creggan GAA club near Randalstown.

He made the comments in an interview with GAA pundit Joe Brolly, published in the Sunday Independent.

Mr Heffron's leg was amputated and he suffered other serious injuries after a bomb exploded under his car in Randalstown, County Antrim, in 2010. He now uses a wheelchair.

Members of the security forces were barred from playing Gaelic games by the GAA until the association scrapped its controversial Rule 21 in 2001.

Mr Heffron had described the stunned silence from his team-mates from Kickhams Creggan GAA near Randalstown when he told them he intended to join the PSNI.

He tried to continue playing with the club until he was given a leaflet warning against joining the police by republican activists at a training session. He never returned.

In a statement released on Saturday, Kickhams Creggan said it wished to make clear that it condemned the attempted murder of Mr Heffron "unequivocally and without any ambiguity".

It added that members of the club called to Mr Heffron's family home in the aftermath of the "horrific attack" to express their sympathy and support.

It said it sympathised with him and wished him well "as he deals with the injuries inflicted on him in this awful deed".

The club said it would "encourage anyone with information on the despicable attack on Peadar to give that information straight to the police".

"We also wish to categorically deny the dangerous insinuations that members of Kickhams Creggan club acquiesced or played an active role in targeting or attempting to murder Peadar Heffron," it added.

"These allegations are absolutely false.

"We are deeply saddened that the reputation of our club and integrity of its membership has been challenged this week and made the subject of undeserved controversy."