Dissident republicans blamed for hijacked car bomb

Dissident republicans were today blamed for planting a bomb in a hijacked vehicle, and ordering its driver to park outside a police station.

The SDLP condemned those involved, and said lives could have been lost if the device had went off.

Seven police officers were injured in Lurgan, Co Armagh, after they were targeted with petrol bombs and other missiles as they responded to the security alert.

A PSNI spokesman said a takeaway delivery driver was threatened at gunpoint while the explosive was placed in the back seat of his car at about 10pm on Tuesday.

He was told to park the vehicle outside Lurgan police station, but abandoned it outside St Peter’s GAA Club in North Street, about 400 yards short of the station.

The SDLP's Dolores Kelly said: “This is the work of dissident republicans. There is no doubt about it.

“In Lurgan we are used to home-made bombs being used to entice police officers to a location where they are attacked. This is a sinister development in that pattern of activity. The driver was forced into the position of being a reluctant bomber.

"There are houses right up to the police station and it could have gone off with disastrous consequences.”

Ms Kelly also hit out at the number of young people, some as young as 14, who were involved in the rioting, and called on parents to take more responsibility for their children.

Army experts were called to the scene and made safe what they described as a “crude but viable” device.

During the alert more than 30 petrol bombs were thrown at police in the Lake Street area, as well as bottles, bricks and ball bearings.

One of the injured officers was taken to hospital, but his injuries are not thought to be serious.

Police declined to comment on who might be behind the bomb scare and attacks, but it is understood detectives believe dissident republicans were responsible.