THE PSNI HAS released images of the device planted in Co Armagh on Friday night in an attempt to kill police officers.
Police were called to the Tullygally Road in Craigavon at around midnight after reports of a loud bang.
A short time later, a Belfast based newspaper reported receiving a call claiming a mortar had been fired at police in the same area.
Responding crews then located a viable and deadly device close to a public bus stop near the Alderdale flats.
The PSNI believes the device was an “attempt by dissident republicans to murder police officers”.
Detective Superintendent Richard Campbell believes that both the loud bang and phone call were meant to lure police officers and first responders into the area.
“Despite the initial report to the Tullygally Road, our enquiries to date would lead us to believe a mortar was not fired and in fact the entire incident was staged in order to bring police into an area where another deadly and unstable device awaited,” Campbell said.
Although the explosive was designed and set up to look like a fired mortar, it was in fact a booby-trap device. In other words it was designed to explode if moved or touched.
Campbell said that had the device detonated, “the result would undoubtedly have been catastrophic for anyone in the immediate vicinity”.
“On Friday night, this included people out socialising, teenagers and residents attempting to simply go about their daily lives,” Campbell said.
“This incident also serves to emphasise how important it is that members of the public report to us anything suspicious they find or see, and that people do not touch suspect items no matter how innocuous they may seem,” he said.
Anyone who can assist in the investigation is being asked to get in touch with the PSNI by calling 101 or contacted UK Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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