Armagh Security Alert Enters Third Day

A security alert in Co Armagh is entering its third day.

Police officers and Army bomb experts are currently dealing with a mortar bomb which was found in the area on Tuesday morning.

The device was found near Cullyhanna and it is believed it could have been used to attack a police helicopter responding to another incident. There are concerns that there could be more devices in the area.

In an update on Thursday morning, a PSNI spokesperson is quoted by UTV saying: "Army bomb experts are continuing to make safe a mortar type device in Cullyhanna. Police would like to thank the local community for their continued patience and support."

The discovery of the device earlier this week, comes a fortnight after police issued a public appeal asking for people to report anything suspicious in the area.

As part of the alert, the Sheetrim Road is closed between the junctions of Bog Road and Kiltybane Road and a number of homes in the area were evacuated. One family still remains out of their home.

Speaking about the ongoing alert, Sinn Féin MP for the area, Conor Murphy, said it has caused much disruption.

"The alert was first raised a number of weeks ago that there may have been a suspect device in the Cullyhanna area.

"Over the past day families on the Sheetrim Road have been evacuated and this is a great inconvenience for a rural, farming community, particularly when schools have just reopened," he explained.

Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy added: "I utterly condemn those responsible for the on-going security alert in Cullyhanna which has placed lives at risk and caused local people to be evacuated from their homes on the Sheetrim Road."

DUP Newry and Armagh MLA William Irwin said: "There is obviously a speculation that dissident republicans are behind this and we have seen before the intent and capability of these groups intent on dragging us back to violence. Such a device has the potential to be devastating and we must be thankful that it has been discovered before any attempt to use it", while Dominic Bradley, SDLP MLA, said there is "palpable anger" in the community.

"The people of Cullyhanna and indeed the people of this Island want to be left in peace. Instead those responsible still live in some warped existence of the past," he continued.

(JP/CD)