Published Monday, 22 February 2010
The PSNI have defended their handling of the incident, saying the blame should be targeted at the dissident terrorists behind Friday's attack.
The viable mortar device was left in the back of a white van abandoned in the middle of the road outside the local police station.
"Those responsible for leaving this device are irresponsible", said the Mayor of Armagh who drove past the bomb in the centre of the village.
"People were driving up on one side with school buses coming down the other. People could have been killed", Thomas O'Hanlon added.
Police received a call that a car had been abandoned outside Keady police station at 6.21am on Friday morning.
The PSNI said they started to evacuate homes at 8am, but some residents UTV spoke to said it was much later.
The bomb was made safe but the operation continued over the weekend and families were only allowed to return to their homes on Sunday afternoon.
Nationalist politicians have been highly critical of the police operation, saying residents should have been moved out much earlier, and the bomb scene should have been immediately sealed off.
Local DUP MLA William Irwin also expressed his concerns.
"From what I have learned this was a viable Mk10 mortar type device and if that is the case, then why was it left for such a long period of time before being cordoned off? He asked.
Area Commander Chief Inspector Ken Mawhinney hit back at criticism of the police operation.
"I am aware of some concerns within the community about our response to this incident, but I would like to reassure the people of Keady that an investigation was initiated and enquiries undertaken as soon as we received the initial report of this van", he said.
"As with all such incidents we have to consider the safety, not only of the community, but also of my officers.
"Unfortunately experience has demonstrated that criminal terrorist elements have used the cover of similar incidents to lure police into this area with the express intention of murdering police officers."
On Monday, the Derrynoose Road, where a car was found burnt out, was closed as police investigated a potential link between the vehicle and the bomb plot.
