Bombing diversion feared by police

Press, 4 January 1988, Page 1

Bombing diversion feared by police

PA Invercargill A bomb thrown at a bank in North Invercargill early yesterday may have been a diversion for a bomb attack on a motor-cycle club headquarters on the other side of the city, say the Invercargill police.

A single gelignite bomb exploded beside the Waikiwi sub-branch of the Trust Bank Southland about 4 a.m., blowing open front doors and shattering windows. While the police were attending the bombing, several emergency calls reported a series of explosions near the Road Knights Club headquarters in Balmoral Drive, said Detective Senior-Ser-geant Brian Bell, of the Invercargill C. 1.8. A police sergeant investigating the calls saw two people run across to a nearby park, where a car with its motor running was parked. When he turned to investigate, shots were fired from the car, which contained at least two people and possibly three or four, said Detective Senior-Ser-geant Bell. A heavy calibre bullet pierced the driver’s door and shattered the driver’s window of the patrol car. “I believe the police sergeant can consider himself quite lucky that he’s still alive,” said Detective Senior-Sergeant Bell. The sergeant, trying to keep out of range, lost sight of the Torana as it drove off without lights, but another patrol sighted it and was also fired at. Detective Senior-Sergeant Bell said the Torana stopped before its occupants fired at the patrol c".r, which suffered a smashed grill and horn. “They deliberately had another crack,” he said.

The two explosions were believed to be connected, he said. “We suspect that the explosion at Trust Bank Southland Waikiwi was in fact a diversion to draw the police away from Balmoral Drive.”

Only one gelignite bomb was thrown at the bank but two gelignite bombs exploded at the gang headquarters, knocking a small hole in the reinforced fence surrounding the building. A further three unexploded

bombs, each containing four sticks of gelignite were recovered at the headquarters. Three Invercargill detectives were called back from leave to investigate the bombings and four members of the Dunedin C. 1.8. are helping. The bombing at the headquarters is the second during the last two months. On November 16 an explosive device went off outside the two-storey building, breaking windows and severely damaging the concrete front of the house. No charges were laid after that attack, which the police said was part of the continuing conflict between the Road Knights and a rival gang, the Damned. Three members of the Road Knights were charged with murder following the death of a Damned associate, Robert Holvey, in August, but charges were dropped after depositions hearings in October found insufficient evidence against The men. © Police investigating the Wairarapa bombing say they have had an excellent response from the public with information about an Army mortar shell container used in the attack on the Featherston police station. Detective Senior-Sergeant John Marsden said about twelve telephone calls had been received as a result of posting information boards in Wairarapa hotels and at the Tauherenikau races. Callers had advised the inquiry of having had similar containers lost or stolen. The container which housed the explosive device that badly damaged the Featherston police station on Wednesday was 32cm high, 49cm wide and had a hinged lid with two catches on the front. Earlier a Masterton policeman’s home had been bombed. Inquiries into both incidents are being conducted together, but there is as yet no evidence to link the two. Picture, page 4