21/01/2013

NI Politicians Condemn Police Parcel Bomb

Northern Ireland’s main political parties have condemned the posting of a bomb to a police inspector in Strabane in County Tyrone.

A suspicious package was found by postal workers at the Strabane sorting office at about 09:00 on Friday. It had been addressed to Chief Inspector Andy Lemon.

Army bomb disposal officers confirmed the device was viable and have taken it away for examination.

CI Lemon said it was a "worrying development" for both himself and his officers in the area.

SDLP policing spokesperson Conall McDevitt called on those responsible to "take a step back".

He said: "This simply has to stop. Whoever is responsible for this and for other threats against police, elected representatives and people within our community have to take a step back and assess how these actions are helping their so-called cause.

"The past six weeks have sown the abject futility of violence; in fact the past forty years have shown that."

West Tyrone DUP representative Thomas Buchanan described it as "a despicable attempt to take the life of a police officer".

He said: "It is vital that the terrorists who would threaten the safety of our police officers or the public in general are not allowed to succeed and they must be brought to justice.

"I would pay tribute to the postal staff in Strabane who identified this package and potentially averted a very serious incident."

The Ulster Unionist Party’s Policing Board representative Ross Hussey added: "It is quite clear that so-called dissident republicans are oblivious to the pleas from across the political spectrum that they cease their activities and leave the rest of society to live in peace.

"The police are here to serve and protect the entire community and an attack on one police officer is an attack on all of us."

(IT)

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