New complexityin dissident bombs a worry

Chief Superintendent Stephen Cargin, the G District Commander, was speaking in the wake of an attack on a routine police patrol explosive device in Creggan Heights on Sunday.

A civilian vehicle following the police patrol was also damaged in the attack, which was launched from a pensioner’s garden.

Chief Superintendent Cargin said: “Certainly, from what we are seeing in the last three weeks there is an increased sophistication in the devices that these people are able to put together.

“There is an increased callousness in actually how prepared they are to put other lives at risk as well as police officers and the concern for us is, actually, we have to be even more careful in how we respond to these devices given the fact that they are putting secondary devices in, in the knowledge that we have to respond.

“It is certainly a new development in the last month but it’s a tactic that has been used over and over and over in Northern Ireland and we are well experienced in these type of things by terrorists who lure people to their death and then have a secondary device to have another go at police officers or other members of the security forces so it’s not something that we have never seen before but it is certainly something, which is really worrying in terms of the development and how callous these people are prepared to be.”

A number of homes in the area were evacuated on Monday as part of a security operation initiated in the wake of the attack.

The incident was roundly condemned with the Londonderry Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) Chairman Alderman Drew Thompson stating: “On behalf of the PCSP I would condemn the shootings and the bomb attack which took place in the city over the weekend.

“These attacks are in stark contrast to the thousands from the city and district who were enjoying themselves during the Hallowe’en weekend celebrations. Despite these attacks, I am confident that the police will continue to serve all our community.”