Ruapuna blast link with truck bomb?

Press, 24 February 1986, Page 1

Ruapuna blast link with truck bomb?

A mystery explosion at Ruapuna Raceway earlier this month might be linked with the bombing of a rubbish truck at Sockburn six days ago, in which a man was killed.

The first explosion, on February 3, damaged the bottom part of a lamppost at the raceway. The post was taken down and repaired. Police inquiries failed to establish who was responsible for damaging the lamp-post, or why it was done.

The police are not sure whether the explosion is linked with the death of Mr Denis Drinkwater, who was killed on February 18 when a bomb inside a truck cab exploded. The truck was parked in the Mogal Freight depot, in Waterloo Road.

Detective Inspector David Haslett, who heads the investigation, yesterday appealed for anyone

who had information about either explosion to get in touch with the police. He said that the police had “no strong indication” that the two explosions were linked. They were keen, however, to establish who was responsible for damaging the lamppost Mr Haslett yesterday also discounted rumours that more than one explosive device was found at the freight yard. The only device was in the truck, he said. An extensive search of the area had found no other devices.

Asked what the police felt about the continued suggestion that Mr Drinkwater was not the target, Mr Haslett said the police had to assume there was every likelihood that he was.

The police, however, could not exclude the pos-

sibillty that the bomb was intended for someone else, he said. In another development at the week-end, the police took the damaged truck from the yard for further forensic examination. This could take another five days, said Mr Haslett.

Thirty-eight detectives as well as explosives experts from the D.S.I.R. and the. Labour Department are working on the inquiry, making it one of the biggest in Christchurch for some years. Mr Haslett said that police investigators would continue to work extended hours this week and he could not see the inquiry’s being scaled down. "It is a most unusual type of homicide for New Zealand,” he said. “The investigation is very exacting and could be likened to putting a jigsaw together.”