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Officer hurt in booby-trap bomb | Officer hurt in booby-trap bomb |
(41 minutes later) | |
There has been an explosion in the County Tyrone village of Spamount, outside Castlederg. | There has been an explosion in the County Tyrone village of Spamount, outside Castlederg. |
An off-duty police officer was injured in what is understood to have been an under-car booby-trap explosion at Drumnabay Road at 2130 BST on Monday. | |
It is believed the officer suffered serious leg injuries, but was able to speak to doctors and his injuries are not considered life-threatening. | |
Dissident republicans are being blamed for the attack. | |
Army bomb experts are at the scene and police have asked drivers to avoid the area. | |
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward, condemning the attack, said: "The contrast between the PSNI officer, dedicated to serving the community, and those with no politics, no support and no principles, who carried this cowardly attack could not be clearer. | |
"As Northern Ireland moves towards a new and better future, there remains a tiny minority of contemptible, criminal elements who have been rejected by the people, north and south. They will not be allowed to stand in the way of progress. | |
"Anyone with any information about this incident should take it to the police." | |
One of the first on the scene, a civilian, is understood to have opened the car door and taken the occupant out of the car. Derek Hussey | |
UUP MLA for the area Derek Hussey, who went to the scene, said he understood that the occupant of the car was "not a resident from the area, but may have been visiting". | |
"It may have been an under-car device which exploded resulting in the car going on fire," he continued. | "It may have been an under-car device which exploded resulting in the car going on fire," he continued. |
"One of the first on the scene, a civilian, is understood to have opened the car door and taken the occupant out of the car." | "One of the first on the scene, a civilian, is understood to have opened the car door and taken the occupant out of the car." |
Mr Hussey praised "the actions and the courage of that particular individual". | |
The police have been warning for some time that dissident groups have been trying to increase their activities and that they were actively targeting police officers. | |
In November, the Real IRA shot two officers in Londonderry and Dungannon, and in February police mounted a huge security operation across Northern Ireland because of fears that dissidents were planning another shooting or bombing. |