Alban Maginness, whose SDLP offices were bombed by UDA man Billy Hill, a self confessed loyalist killer linked to Johnny Adair, has said he had considered ending his political career if anyone had been killed in the no warning attack.
The MLA was reacting to the conviction of Hill whose powerful pipe bomb device caused extensive damage to the Antrim Road offices of the Belfast councillor in January 2001.
It blew the door off the offices onto the Antrim Road and a number of people from the scout movement, who were meeting in the building, were badly shaken.
Earlier this year Hill was jailed for 13 years for the brutal murder of a young Protestant man who he mistakenly believed was a Catholic.
David Cupples was beaten by Hill with a brick as he walked to work in the kitchens of Girdwood army base in December 2002.
Hill, 20, from Southport Court on the Shankill, was charged with membership of the Red Hand Defenders.
That charge was connected to a pipe bomb attack in Rathcoole at the home of John 'Grugg' Gregg – the UDA leader who was later gunned down in Belfast city centre.
Belfast Crown Court was told on Tuesday that while William Alan Hill, 24, was on remand, police found a letter in which he confessed to the bombing.
He was jailed for eleven years for the no-warning attack that the judge described as "cowardly and despicable".
A prosecution lawyer said his letter was "chilling and boastful".
In July 2004, police uncovered Hill's confessional letter during their investigations into the murder of David Cupples.
Alban Maginness this week said he was relieved Hill was off the streets.
"The case reminded me of the bomb. I remember the police phoning me. I drove down the Antrim Road and I couldn't get over the large amount of debris. I saw the office was very badly damaged with the porch blown out.
"I had a terrible feeling at that point and I thought if someone was seriously injured or killed I wouldn't go on (in politics). I couldn't have had something like that on my conscience," he said.
"This is a very dangerous person.
"Not only did he carry out the bombing, but he carried it out with the intent of serious injury or death," said Alban Maginness.
