Police officers were ‘lured’ by dissidents towards bomb

‘It was a vicious attempt to murder colleagues responding to a call from a member of the public’

DISSIDENT republicans tried to lure police towards a “deadly” bomb in Northern Ireland, a detective said.

The explosive was set up to look like a fired mortar but would detonate if moved or touched, police said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland issued photos of the device lying on a footpath in Craigavon, Co Armagh.

It said a call to a Belfast newspaper that a mortar had been fired at a police patrol but missed its target and a separate report of a loud bang at around midnight on Friday was meant to lure police into the area.

Tensions have been high in the region since journalist Lyra Mckee, 29, was shot dead by a New IRA gunman while she observed a riot in Londonderry in April.

Det Supt Richard Campbell said: “Our inquiries to date would lead us to believe a mortar was not fired and in fact the entire incident was staged in order to bring police into an area where another deadly and unstable device awaited.

“Although the explosive was designed and set up to look like a fired mortar, it was in fact a booby trap device. In other words it was designed to explode if moved or touched.

“While there is no doubt in my mind that first responders were the target, the reality is that anyone could have been caught up in the carnage.

“We are extremely fortunate that the swift actions of those officers who were first on scene meant that there was not serious injury or death.”

Meanwhile, officers warned the threat of being ambushed by dissident republicans could slow the police response to calls for help from the public.

Mark Lindsay, the Police Federation for Northern Ireland chairman, said: “[It] was a vicious attempt to murder colleagues responding to a call from a member of the public.

“In fact, it was a come-on, a deliberate attempt to lure them to a place where republican terrorists could mount their ambush.”

Officers will have to be even more cautious, Mr Lindsay added.