Soldiers and police escape injury in Irish border blast

A BOMB exploded on the Irish border yesterday after police were “lured to the scene” with a hoax call from dissident Republicans, a senior officer has claimed.

The device detonated in County Fermanagh as police and Army bomb disposal officers were searching the area.

No one was injured in the blast at Wattle Bridge close to Newtownbutler, which came as a security operation was under way following a report of a suspicious package on Saturday evening.

The area was secured by police and a full clearance operation began on Sunday morning. The original item was ultimately declared a hoax but another device exploded nearby at 10.35am when an Army bomb disposal team known as Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO) and police were nearby.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Deputy Chief Constable, Stephen Martin, said: “I am of the firm belief this was a deliberate attempt to lure police and ATO colleagues into the area to murder them.

“Although this device was intended to kill police and Army personnel the fact that it was placed on a main road the result could well have been devastating for anyone in the vicinity. There is no doubt in my mind that police responding to this call were the target.”

Dissident extremists continue to target members of the security forces in Northern Ireland and police say they are focusing their investigations on the Continuity IRA and the New IRA.

Mr Martin said: “The Continuity IRA have been present for a long time but I think it is fair to say their level of activity has increased this year.”

Michelle Gildernew, Sinn Fein MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, condemned those responsible.

“This morning’s bomb attack in Wattle Bridge was totally wrong,” she said.

“Those responsible for this incident have nothing to offer society and need to end these actions immediately.”

Last month, a booby trap bomb was found in Craigavon, Co Armagh, as police attended another bogus call-out.  It comes as a man – believed to be a loyalist – was shot dead in Co. Down last night. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) tweeted: “Police are at the scene of a shooting incident in the Main Street area of Waringstown.”

Dolores Kelly, SDLP Upper Bann Assembly member, said Waringstown is “a quiet and settled village”, adding: “The local community is in shock this evening.”