Dissident republicans claim responsibility for bomb attack on two NI police officers

Dissident republican group the New IRA has claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on a police vehicle in Strabane, Co Tyrone.

The Irish News said the group had issued a statement saying it had carried out the attack using a recognised codeword.

Two officers had been on patrol on Thursday of last week at Mount Carmel Heights when a bomb was detonated at the side of their vehicle.

Neither officer was injured in the attack, which caused a major security alert in the area, affecting more than 1,000 residents and leaving some children unable to get to school on Friday.

Police had previously said the involvement of the New IRA was a “strong line of inquiry”.

PSNI assistant chief constable Bobby Singleton said the location of the incident in Strabane and previous attacks made the involvement of the dissident republican splinter group a possibility.

Political leaders in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland condemned the attack.