Bomb hits home of IRA men's mum

Mrs Devine's home was hit by shrapnel

The house of the mother of two IRA men shot dead by the SAS in 1985 has been damaged in a pipe bomb attack on a police station in County Tyrone.

Police said they believe dissident republicans planted a pipe bomb which exploded behind Strabane PSNI station.

The device went off without warning at about 2115 BST on Thursday.

No-one was injured, but some houses were damaged, one of which belongs to Patsy Devine, 78, who suffered a stroke six years ago.

She is the mother of Michael and David Devine - two of three IRA men killed in an SAS ambush as they went to an arms dump in a field off Plumbridge Road in the town.

Damage was caused to houses behind the police station

Mrs Devine was inside with two of her daughters at the time of the attack, while three of her grandchildren, aged 4, 6 and 7 played outside.

"I think it's all terrible - what's it all for anyway?"

"There are only old people up here... I was pure shaken my legs went like jelly on me," she said.

Sinn Fein Councillor Brian McMahon said there was no appetite in the community for any sort of attack and the group behind the attack should "wake up to that".

"There's no support in the community for this grouping and they should stop right away," he said.

Chief Inspector Phil Marks said it was fortunate a murder investigation was not being conducted.

"In today's society we're all trying to move forward together and these people are quite clearly incapable of joining us," he said.

"It's a very small minority of people within the community and they're becoming more and more ostracised by the community."

Meanwhile, police said they have received a warning that a device has been abandoned between Ballymagorry and Magheramason near Strabane.

They said they were concerned "by the vagueness of the location provided" and are warning anyone who finds a suspect object in the area not touch it but to contact them immediately.