Real IRA claims first fatality since Omagh bombing

The Real IRA claimed its first fatality since the 1998 Omagh bombing yesterday when a workman was killed in a boobytrap explosion near the city of Londonderry.

David Caldwell, a 51-year-old civilian, suffered multiple injuries when he picked up a lunchbox which contained a concealed bomb as he worked in unguarded military premises. He died later in hospital.

Last night two men and a woman were being questioned in connection with the attack. The killing was followed by a wave of condemnation from almost all parts of the political spectrum. Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness described the incident as "absolutely and totally wrong".

The Real IRA has carried out a series of attacks in recent years, many of them in and around Londonderry city, but yesterday's was the first to take life since 29 people died in the Omagh bombing in August 1998.

Mr Caldwell, a Protestant father of daughters aged 14 and older, was employed in renovating Caw Camp, a base which had been used by the Territorial Army. Years ago he had been a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment. An army spokesman said the camp was used by army cadets aged from 13 to 17.

Mr Caldwell's death produced a tearful and moving response from his partner, Mavis McFaul, in a BBC interview. She said: "Davy did a good day's work, hurt nobody. I don't care who they are or what they are, no one deserves to die the way he did. When I arrived at the hospital with my two daughters a nurse told me that he had a hand injury and his face was bad.

"It must have been his heart. He had a lot of injuries inside. Davy died at a quarter past nine. They couldn't save him."

Describing him as a quiet man, she added: "It's been a nightmare. Why? Why take a father and a husband from a family? I would say, have you any conscience at all? Please stop killing people, innocent people. I want no revenge for Davy's death because he wouldn't want it."

The area around Londonderry holds a complex of military installations, some of which are only lightly guarded or left unprotected in the wake of the ceasefires of the major paramilitary groups. The Real IRA has targeted a number of these, mounting attacks or leaving boobytrap devices.

Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kincaid described the Caw base as non-military and full of civilians. He added: "This victim is simply a family man engaged in his right to work. I don't think the people who left this had any idea who the targets would be."

John Reid, the Northern Ireland Secretary, described the incident as "savage, cowardly and utterly contemptible".