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| Undercover squad foils murder bid | Undercover squad foils murder bid |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Undercover police foiled a murder bid on an officer in Fermanagh at the weekend, it has emerged. | Undercover police foiled a murder bid on an officer in Fermanagh at the weekend, it has emerged. |
| One shot was fired at the police at Garrison on Saturday night. They returned fire. Nobody was hurt. | One shot was fired at the police at Garrison on Saturday night. They returned fire. Nobody was hurt. |
| It is thought dissident republicans targeted the policeman in Fermanagh and also left a 400lb bomb at the Policing Board headquarters in Belfast. | It is thought dissident republicans targeted the policeman in Fermanagh and also left a 400lb bomb at the Policing Board headquarters in Belfast. |
| Executive Minister Arlene Foster said the police knew that the officer had been targeted and were prepared. | Executive Minister Arlene Foster said the police knew that the officer had been targeted and were prepared. |
| The detonator went off in a car but the bomb failed to explode in Belfast | |
| "The police were waiting for them in Garrison. They knew they wanted to strike at this man's life and didn't allow it," Mrs Foster said. | "The police were waiting for them in Garrison. They knew they wanted to strike at this man's life and didn't allow it," Mrs Foster said. |
| It is understood the attack was an attempt to kill a police officer who lived in the village. It does not appear that the officer was at home at the time of the attack. | It is understood the attack was an attempt to kill a police officer who lived in the village. It does not appear that the officer was at home at the time of the attack. |
| Local people reported a large police presence in the village and the surrounding area immediately after the attack. It is also reported that a car was rammed by a police vehicle. | Local people reported a large police presence in the village and the surrounding area immediately after the attack. It is also reported that a car was rammed by a police vehicle. |
| Mrs Foster said two weekend attacks meant the scale of the threat was "a cause for concern". She praised the police response. | Mrs Foster said two weekend attacks meant the scale of the threat was "a cause for concern". She praised the police response. |
| 'Murderous intent' | |
| Police in Northern Ireland are questioning four men arrested shortly after the shooting. Irish police are holding a fifth man who was arrested in Dooard, County Leitrim. | Police in Northern Ireland are questioning four men arrested shortly after the shooting. Irish police are holding a fifth man who was arrested in Dooard, County Leitrim. |
| Northern Ireland Security Minister Paul Goggins said: "The people who planned and carried out these attacks are wrongheaded, criminal people with murderous intent. | Northern Ireland Security Minister Paul Goggins said: "The people who planned and carried out these attacks are wrongheaded, criminal people with murderous intent. |
| "The message to them is they will not succeed." | "The message to them is they will not succeed." |
| Politicians have called for tighter security measures to protect Policing Board members and staff after the attempted bomb attack in Belfast on Saturday. | Politicians have called for tighter security measures to protect Policing Board members and staff after the attempted bomb attack in Belfast on Saturday. |
| Two men crashed a car through the security barrier at the Clarendon Dock complex at 1900 GMT and abandoned the bomb in front of the board headquarters. | Two men crashed a car through the security barrier at the Clarendon Dock complex at 1900 GMT and abandoned the bomb in front of the board headquarters. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme | |
| It is thought that only the detonator went off and no-one was hurt. | It is thought that only the detonator went off and no-one was hurt. |
| Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said huge damage could have been caused. | Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said huge damage could have been caused. |
| "We're very very lucky that it only partially exploded," he said. | "We're very very lucky that it only partially exploded," he said. |
| "We could have been looking at heavy casualties. | "We could have been looking at heavy casualties. |
| "It's ironic that they should choose to attack the Policing Board, which is the very accountability mechanism which was negotiated and set up to keep the police to account - which means that it really is an attack on the community." | "It's ironic that they should choose to attack the Policing Board, which is the very accountability mechanism which was negotiated and set up to keep the police to account - which means that it really is an attack on the community." |
| 'Calculated' | 'Calculated' |
| SDLP Policing Board member Alex Attwood said the level of threat was worrying. | SDLP Policing Board member Alex Attwood said the level of threat was worrying. |
| "There is a higher level of threat. All the evidence over the last number of months confirms that this appears to be growing," he said. | "There is a higher level of threat. All the evidence over the last number of months confirms that this appears to be growing," he said. |
| A car, thought to have been used in the bomb attack, was found burned out | |
| Ulster Unionist policing spokesperson, Basil McCrea said the attacks were "calculated and callous". | Ulster Unionist policing spokesperson, Basil McCrea said the attacks were "calculated and callous". |
| Policing Board member and DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt said his party was seeking a meeting with Chief Constable Matt Baggott. He called for urgent action against dissident republicans. | Policing Board member and DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt said his party was seeking a meeting with Chief Constable Matt Baggott. He called for urgent action against dissident republicans. |
| Mr Baggott said at the weekend that the car bomb was a substantial device which could have caused significant damage and loss of life. | Mr Baggott said at the weekend that the car bomb was a substantial device which could have caused significant damage and loss of life. |
| Earlier this month, the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) reported that the dissident republican threat in Northern Ireland was at its highest level for almost six years. | Earlier this month, the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) reported that the dissident republican threat in Northern Ireland was at its highest level for almost six years. |
| The IMC said the two main dissident republican groups, the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA, were working more closely together to increase the threat posed to security forces. | The IMC said the two main dissident republican groups, the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA, were working more closely together to increase the threat posed to security forces. |
| Last week, police in Armagh found a mortar bomb which, they said, was intended to kill police officers. | Last week, police in Armagh found a mortar bomb which, they said, was intended to kill police officers. |