The planting of a bomb at a hotel being used for a PSNI recruitment event almost two years ago was a despicable crime that could have resulted in death and injury.
The remote-controlled device, which was made from a modified fire extinguisher filled with 1.5 kg of explosives, along with a detonating system, was left in the car park near the lobby of the Waterfoot Hotel in Derry in October 2015.
This was a completely reckless act, part of a dissident republican campaign designed to create a climate of fear and deter young people from joining the police service.
Thankfully the potentially lethal blast bomb was discovered when police attended security alerts at a number of venues across the north being used as part of a recruitment drive.
Details relating to this attempted bombing were revealed at Belfast Crown Court this week when two men from Co Meath pleaded guilty to possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life and possessing articles for use in terrorism.
Darren Poleon (43) from Kells and Brian Walsh (35) from Dunshaughlin, were both sentenced to five years in prison with a further five years in the community under licence.
The judge gave the pair credit for their guilty pleas and the fact they returned from the Republic to answer their bail.
Given the deadly nature of the device that was left at the hotel, there can be little doubt that this was a serious terror operation that involved a high level of planning and preparation.
As such, Poleon and Walsh can consider themselves fortunate they did not receive the sort of lengthy prison terms that have been handed down in recent dissident republican cases both in Northern Ireland and in Britain.
The fact that police were able to apprehend this pair and bring them before the courts is yet another important step in the fight against violent dissidents.
It sends out a message that those involved in this campaign face a high probability of arrest and imprisonment.
