Police officers hurt in Northern Ireland bomb attack

Explosive device thrown at car after police answered alarm call in Newtonabbey, north Belfast Two police officers suffered minor injuries after an explosive device was thrown at their vehicle in north Belfast during the early hours of Friday morning. The officers were attacked after answering an alarm call at a branch of Toys R Us on Mill Road, in Newtownabbey, at around 12.20am. Two members of Toys R Us staff were on the scene when the device exploded, but neither was injured. The Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Inspector Derek McCamley described the attack as “despicable” and said it was fortunate that no one had been more seriously hurt. “We have launched a full investigation and will carry out an examination of the scene,” he said. He added that those behind the attack were “cowardly individuals who only seek to bring devastation and harm to their own community”. People living close to the scene of the attack reported hearing a loud bang but said they thought it was fireworks. Earlier, the local Democratic Unionist assembly member, Paul Girvan, said he believed the callout was an attempt to lure police to the scene. “This does appear to be a tactic that is used by dissident republicans to bring police attention into the area and used as an opportunity to attack security forces,” he said. “I would have to condemn it and implore anyone who has information to volunteer that to the PSNI.” Northern Ireland Police Crime Henry McDonald guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 16, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.