Dissidents attack RUC station

Improvised launcher misfired and was abandoned

Dissident republicans showed callous disregard for human life when they abandoned a loaded rocket launcher after attacking a County Tyrone RUC station, the police have said.

The bombers tried to fire a rocket containing just over 1lb of Semtex high explosives at Strabane RUC station from Barrack Street just before midnight on Saturday.

It is believed the main dissident group, the Real IRA, launched the improvised device, but abandoned it in the street after it misfired.

A short time later, a passing police patrol found the device and it was defused by bomb disposal experts.

Dissidents tried to attack Strabane RUC station

No-one was injured and no damage was caused in the third attack on a security base by dissident republicans in less than a fortnight.

Twelve homes were evacuated during the clear-up operation which finished at 0500 BST on Sunday.

Inspector Andy Lemon condemned the bombers for abandoning the device in a built up area.

He said: "I totally condemn this attack. The device had been abandoned in a built-up area and had the potential to kill.

Inspector Andy Lemon: "Bombers had callous disregard for human life"

"It shows callous disregard for human life. If it had hit a house, it could have demolished it."

Mr Lemon said the police were stepping up their anti-terrorism campaign against the dissidents and appealed for information from the public.

"We are worried about this and we are taking measures to protect the police and public from these sorts of attacks," he said.

Pattern of attacks

The threat posed by dissident republicans opposed to the Northern Ireland peace process continues to be assessed by intelligence experts as real and growing.

Dissident attacks: Northern Ireland

May 2001: Londonderry army base

May 2001: Armagh army base

April 2001: Booby-trap car

April 2001: Londonderry police station

Jan 2001: 1,100lb Armagh bomb found

Jan 2001: Londonderry army mortar

Jan 2001: Claudy police booby-trap

Nov 2000: Booby-trap car bomb

May 2000: Mortar attack on army

March 2000: 500lb bomb intercepted

Feb 2000: Fermanagh hotel bombed

Anti-terrorist experts from the Metropolitan Police in London warned again this week that the Real IRA may be planning further attacks in Northern Ireland and Britain to coincide with the election campaign.

The latest attack follows a pattern of recent dissident republican activity, during which many army and police targets have been in the north west of the province.

On 15 May a so-called barrack buster mortar bomb was launched from a van at the security base in Bessbrook, in south Armagh. No-one was injured.

Three days later dissident republicans managed to partially detonate a bomb containing 5lbs of outside the front gate of the Bishop Street army base in Londonderry city.

In April the dissidents attempted to lure the security forces into a bomb trap on the main Derry to Strabane road.

Dissident attacks: London

April 2001: London post sorting office

Mar 2001: BBC Television Centre

Sept 2000: M16 (Suspected, no warning given)

July 2000: Ealing Broadway

June 2000: Hammersmith Bridge

Also last month there was a grenade attack on the Strand Road police station in Derry.

In January a booby trap bomb was discovered at the back of the police station in Claudy.

Days later, a barrack buster was used to attack the Ebrington army base.

In August 1998 the Real IRA carried out the Omagh bombing killing 29 people and injuring hundreds more in County Tyrone.

It has also been responsible for carrying out bomb attacks on high profile buildings in London including BBC Television Centre, Hammersmith Bridge and the M16 building.