Pipe Bombing Is Latest Attack

Just hours after a blast at the home of a serving PSNI officer's father in Co Down, the area around a police station in Co Armagh has been cordoned off following an overnight explosion.

A small device exploded close to Lurgan PSNI station shortly after 11.30pm on Tuesday night.

It came a day after the bomb attack on the family of a Newry police officer added a new dimension to terrorist intimidation, by way of this 'indirect targeting' of family members.

The front window of the house was blown in and minor damage caused to a wall at 10.35pm, but there were no injuries.

SDLP MLA Dominic Bradley said that the people of Newry had no desire to be dragged back into violence.

"Attacks on the police and their families will not be tolerated by the people of Newry," he said. "My message to those responsible is that they should lay off and go away."

Meanwhile, in Lurgan, there are no reports of any injuries in the attack.

Police said the only damage was to a property opposite the police station perimeter.

Operations Superintendent Pauline Shields said: "This was a reckless and cowardly attack which was aimed not only at killing police officers but also endangering the lives of any members of the public who would have been around this busy area at this time.

"This attack must be condemned and I am asking each and every member of the local community to work with us to find those responsible."

She said that information about crime can be passed to police on 0845 600 8000 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Last week, two devices, understood to be pipe bombs, were defused in the Kilwilkee Road area of the same Co Armagh town.

The attack on Tuesday is the latest in a series in recent months which have been blamed on dissident republicans.

SDLP Upper Bann Westminster candidate Dolores Kelly said those who planted the pipe bomb at Lurgan PSNI station are doomed to the same ultimate political failure as the Provos.

She said: "Everyone needs to be vigilant for the next 36 hours because nothing threatens groups practising anti-democratic violence as much as seeing democracy in action. We have been here before and we know armed organisations which claim to speak for the people without consulting the people will fail and democracy will prevail.

"It was not Provo violence but the rejection and renunciation of violence which enabled political progress and stable devolved institutions.

"The current crop of dissidents who seek to use the same violent tactics today will learn the same ultimate lesson of failure. They are going nowhere except to jail," she said.

(BMcC/GK)