New IRA hijacked a pizza delivery car then planted mortar bomb near a family home to kill police officers in Northern Ireland, detectives say
- Bomb was found near police station in Strabane, Northern Ireland on Saturday
- It was the first of two explosives uncovered in the area over the last week
- Detectives have arrested a man, 33, and revealed a pizza delivery car was used
A mortar bomb designed to kill police officers in Northern Ireland was planted using a hijacked pizza delivery car, detectives believe.
The improvised explosive device, said to have been planted by dissident republican group the New IRA, was recovered in Strabane, Co Tyrone, on Saturday.
It was placed on a wall outside a family home which overlooks a local police station, leading investigators to suspect police were being targeted amid tensions in the area.
This morning, the detective leading the investigation revealed a stolen pizza delivery car is believed to have been used to plant the device.
A mortar found in Northern Ireland was planted by a bomber in a stolen pizza delivery car
The bomb was found on a wall between a family home and a police station. Detectives believe the New IRA was attempting to kill officers
DI Andrew Hamlin said: ‘I believe an orange Fiat Sedici pizza delivery vehicle that was hijacked in the area of Mount Sion, Strabane at 9.40pm was used to place the device in Church View at approximately 9.45pm.’
He asked any potential witnesses who may have seen the car to come forward.
A 33-year-old man has been arrested and he remains in custody being questioned.
On Monday, another bomb was discovered in a parked vehicle in Londonderry, also to be used to attack a patrol.
The device was operated using a command wire and was being stored for use somewhere else in the area.
Officers said it was improvised and contained commercial high explosives, which only required one adjustment to explode.
Police in the area have since come under attack as they search houses in the Creggan area
Police were attacked with missiles by members of a crowd of 60 to 100 people as they carried out Monday’s searches targeting dissidents. About 40 petrol bombs were thrown during the disorder.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton has said: ‘All I can say is that there seems to be more of a concerted effort by dissident republicans.
‘We have seen almost the re-emergence of the Continuity IRA in the Tyrone area, we also saw the attack in Craigavon, which we would attribute to CIRA.
‘We have seen a regular tempo of activity in Derry/Londonderry from the New IRA. Only they can explain why they are doing it.’