AN RUC patrol escaped injury in a suspected mortar bomb attack in west Belfast last night that was assumed to mark a further stage in the IRA's campaign of violence.
A two vehicle patrol of armoured Land Rovers was targeted in Kennedy Way, a wide linkroad between the M1 motor way and Andersonstown. The device missed the vehicles and no one was injured. Police and British troops sealed off the area and began to investigate whether the attack came from a mortar or a land mine detonated at the side of the road.
Early this morning, after examining the scene, the RUC were of the opinion that a mortar had been used. A group of armed men occupied a house overlooking Kennedy Way some time before and used it to launch their attack.
The incident, which happened at 8.40 p.m., was the latest in a series of IRA attacks on police and British army targets. It appeared to be similar to an attack launched in Derry last week on another two vehicle police patrol. The weapon used in that incident was found to have been an improvised horizontal mortar, detonated by command wire.
The security forces have been on maximum alert following a number of IRA attacks on RUC stations and patrols in recent weeks.
Yesterday morning, as the multi party talks resumed in Stormont, the RUC Chief Constable, Mr Ronnie Flanagan, warned that the IRA planned to step up its renewed campaign.
He said the pattern and timing of recent bombings all suggested an intensification of the IRA campaign, and he added that the IRA strategy risked provoking a full resumption of loyalist violence.
The Chief Constable stressed that each of the recent attacks was designed to murder. "These were very real attempts to kill and if these attempts continue, killing will be the inevitable result."
As British army bomb experts examined the scene of last night's attack, extra checkpoints were set up in south and west Belfast.
The SDLP MP for West Belfast, Dr Joe Hendron, condemned the attack and pleaded with the IRA to stop. "I am disgusted. I don't know what the IRA are at."