Car Bomb Policeman 'Seriously Injured'

A policeman has been taken to hospital after a bomb exploded under his car in Co Antrim this morning.

The victim of the car bomb attack was rushed to hospital afterwards and it is understood he sustained serious injuries to his pelvis in the blast.

The explosion occurred shortly after the officer had driven about a mile from his home.

Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson and the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have condemned the attack with Mr Robinson commenting: "This is a cowardly evil act against a man committed to defending the free society we all enjoy. I have said in the past that those who perpetrate such attacks will not succeed in returning Northern Ireland to the dark days of the past."

Mr McGuinness said: "The man injured today in this attack contributes positively to the community.

"He is an active member of the GAA and an Irish speaker. He serves the community as a member of the PSNI.

"The people who carried out this attack make no contribution. These actions serve no purpose and will not further any cause. My thoughts are with the injured man and his family. I pray he makes a full recovery."

Earlier, the Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board also condemned those behind this morning's attack.

Barry Gilligan said: "I understand that the officer has been taken to hospital and our thoughts are first and foremost with him and his family.

"This was an attempt to murder and those behind this attack cannot be allowed to succeed in bringing any further terror to our community.

"I would urge anyone with information on this incident to pass it to the police," he said.

There is an ongoing security alert at the scene of the explosion on Milltown Road in Randalstown. The road has been closed and army technical officers have been called to the scene.

No one has claimed responsibility for planting the bomb yet, which exploded at 6.30am.

Soon after the PSNI said the officer has been seriously injured, NIO Security Minister Paul Goggins condemned the car bomb attack.

"This vile attack will sicken people across Northern Ireland. I applaud the work the PSNI are doing to make our towns and cities safer. That work is in stark contrast to those who tried to murder this officer.

"Those who planted this device are to be condemned and anyone with information should bring it to the PSNI so that those responsible can be brought before the courts," he said.

Ulster Unionist South Antrim MLA Danny Kinahan has also expressed his horror at a car bomb attack in Randalstown this morning in which a policeman was seriously injured.

"It is disgusting that, once again, we are witness to an attack on an off-duty officer.

"However, while those who carried out this despicable act are intent on undermining the stability of NI, the majority will clearly indicate that it is they, and not the police, who are unwanted within this society," he said this morning.

Dissident republicans have planted a number of bombs across Northern Ireland in the last year with a bomb under a policeman's car in east Belfast which left his partner suffering minor injuries in the attack.

A republican dissident splinter group called Oglaigh na hEireann admitted planting that under-car bomb using a recognised codeword.

Meanwhile, SDLP South Antrim MLA Thomas Burns has commented on this morning's attack: "The scene of this attack is not all that far from Massarene Barracks, (in which two soldiers were gunned down).

"At the time of last year's attacks all the people made their views absolutely clear. Across all parties and shades of opinion, they condemned them utterly and called on the armed dissident groups to stop their murderous activities. We want no more murders, no more shootings, no more bombs."

Sinn Féin's Mitchel McLaughlin MLA for South Antrim has also condemned the attack on a young PSNI Officer in Randalstown this morning as "reprehensible".

See: Belfast Car Bomb Admitted

(BMcC/GK)