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A NUMBER OF houses had to be evacuated in Strabane, Co Tyrone today after a viable explosive device was discovered.
Police in the North carried out three searches of houses in Drumrallagh Estate in Strabane as part of investigations into violent dissident republican activity.
Police discovered a viable explosive device in one of the homes, which resulted in the evacuation of 10 nearby houses.
The ammunition technical officer (ATO) attended the scene to make the device safe and it was taken away for further examination.
Three men – aged 43, 45 and 77 - were arrested at the scene under the Terrorism Act and were taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite for questioning.
“Firstly, I would like to thank the local residents for their patience this afternoon whilst this operation was ongoing. It is beyond belief that terrorists have stored a bomb in the heart of one of our communities,” said Superintendent McCalmont.
“Fortunately this device was found and made safe before it could cause any harm, however, it clearly shows the intent of those individuals to kill or seriously injure.
“They have absolutely no regard for the safety of local residents in the Drumrallagh area.
People involved in hiding bombs want to cause harm, they don’t care who gets killed or injured, and their desire to pursue violence and create more victims, has to be challenged.
McCalmont aske any witnesses or anyone in the North with information to come forward by ringing Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or police on 101.
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“Musgrave Serious Crime Suite” Why do I get the feeling that it doesn’t have leather reclining massage chairs, coffee tables and wide screen TVs with surround sound? The sooner they lock up these nutjobs the better. The people of NI have enough on their plate with warring political parties and Brexit without having to worry about getting blown up in the morning. AS for SF and the DUP, if North and South Korea can decide to get rid of nuclear weapons and sit down and talk I can’t understand why the 2 parties can’t sort out their differences. Perhaps suspending their salaries until they do would give them a bit of motivation. After all, no work = no pay in the real world.
@No One: You imply that SF and the DUP are equally at fault for failing to come to agreement. They did have an agreement. The problem is that the DUP did not have the ability to sell it to their grassroots and even to their own MPs.
@Tír Eoghain Gael: I agree with you that the DUP are at fault however SF should be putting a lot more pressure on the Brits and the Irish government to hold up their end as guarantors of the GFA. At the very least they should be pushing a huge PR campaign both here and in the UK to show up the DUP for what they are. Only last week I was chatting to a friend of mine who if English and who asked me what was the story with the DUP. I gave him an unbiased warts and all history of them and he was astounded at how backward they are and that as a Tory voter his party were in cahoots with them. When I told him that I had given him the sanitised version and not my republican version he told me not to bother and that he had heard enough. He is now waiting for Tory canvassers for the next elections to call so he can ask them just what the hell did Theresa May think she was doing hitching her wagon to a bunch of dinosaurs.
They haven’t gone away you know.
@Liam Mac Roibin: Who? Are you seriously implying this was the Provisional IRA?
@Liam Mac Roibin: Jesus wept there’s always one idiot brings up a phrase from 25 years ago about a now disbanded paramilitary organization! Any quotes about the United Irishmen, the Irish Citizens Army or the IRB? Go on you must have some!
@Liam Mac Roibin: the people whom that phrase was originally coined about ,have about as much to do with this incident as you have with Mensa. That’s Zero.
The indignation is righteous. Blowing people to pieces has been a bad thing since 10 April 1998.
@Liam Mac Roibin: I hope history is your first class tomorrow.
@No One: disbanded?
The family of Paul Quinn will be glad to hear that.
Well I never.
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