By ENS staff, April 04, 2011

[Episcopal News Service] Archbishop Alan Harper of the Church of Ireland has said that there are "no words to adequately describe the inhumanity of the murder" of 25-year-old Police Constable Ronan Kerr, who was killed April 2 after a bomb exploded under his car, in Omagh, County Tyrone.

"The cruelty and shame of those who committed this act, either in planting the device or in supplying of information, is displayed to all of the world. It has brought needless devastation to the family of this young officer. It is also an act for which those responsible will indeed answer not only to their conscience but to their maker," said Harper in a joint statement with Bishop Ken Good of Derry and Raphoe.

"The Church of Ireland community is both proud and indebted to the service of this brave young officer. We stand united with his family and hope that our heartfelt prayers and sympathy will bring some comfort in their great loss. We offer our deep sympathy and support to the family and to his colleagues and friends and we call on all people of faith to hold them in their prayers; and we ask everyone to support the PSNI [Police Service of Northern Ireland] in every way possible as they seek to protect the public and bring to justice the perpetrators of today's heinous crime."

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is being blamed on dissident republicans opposed to the Northern Ireland peace process, according to reports.

"We are resolved as Christian people to come together with all our neighbors in this community, regardless of politics or background," the bishops said in their statement. "We are building a community where hatred has no place and in which political difference will never be successfully addressed with violence."

Source: http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/81808_127852_ENG_HTM.htm

Reprinted with permission from http://www.ecusa.anglican.org