Outrage As Ploy Targets PSNI Officers

There has been widespread outrage among Northern Ireland's political representatives in the aftermath of an attempt to murder police officers in Craigavon.

A viable device disguised as a fired mortar was left in a public area in Tullygally, Craigavon on Friday night, 26 July. An elaborate ploy was staged to lure PSNI personnel to the area, however the device was contained without injury.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for the murder attempt, which disrupted local residents with people evacuated from their homes during the night and roads closed to facilitate the police operation.

Justice Spokesperson for the Ulster Unionist Party, Doug Beattie MLA, slammed those responsible. He said: "It is absolutely contemptible that these pathetic individuals believe that maiming and murdering police officers - or anyone else who might get in their way - will promote their deranged cause in any way. They are nothing more than self promoting psychopaths who thrive on chaos and anarchy.

"In the meantime innocent men, women and children have their lives disrupted with little regards from the terrorists. It is clear they care nothing about the hard working people of Craigavon and therefore should be treated with contempt by those very same people."

Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd also condemned the individuals behind the incident, saying they have no place in local society.

"They need to end these futile actions immediately and let the community here live in peace," he commented. "I condemn it utterly."

Meanwhile, the PSNI's South Area Co-ordinator Chief Superintendent Peter Farrar hit out at the "cowardly and despicable" act of terrorism.

He said: "They offer nothing to this community and their actions here do not reflect the wishes of the vast majority of the law abiding residents of this area.

"Attacks on police and other security services are attacks on the entire community and they are an attack on our democracy.  Anyone willing to launch such an attack in a residential area cares little about our communities. Their reckless violence cannot be allowed to continue."

Alliance Party MLA John Blair said the murder attempt displays the damaging effects of the Stormont stalemate. He commented: "It was designed to cause harm to those tasked with upholding the rule of law in the area and must be condemned by all.

"I am utterly disgusted by what has occurred, yet another incident that demonstrates the effect the lack of an Executive is having on our community. 

"We need to see an actionable plan in place to tackle paramilitarism, ensuring those determined to cause carnage on our streets are removed as a threat and dealt with in an appropriate way."

Local Councillor Peter Lavery added: "This is an extremely worrying development and I join my colleague John Blair in condemning this grim attack. These people need to be removed from our streets and the best way to achieve that is for our community to keep supporting the PSNI and report any information to 101 or 0800 555 111."



(JG/CM)