Three men have been arrested in the Republic in the wake of an attempted booby trap bomb attack on a car belonging to a couple who are PSNI officers.
The suspects, aged in their late 20s and late 30s, were detained just across the border in Ballybofey, Co Donegal, at about 4am this morning.
An under-vehicle improvised explosive device was found attached to the serving officer’s vehicle at Glenrandel in the village of Eglinton on the outskirts of Derry city.
Police said it was capable of causing “death or serious injury”.
A Garda spokeswoman said the men were being held at stations in Letterkenny and Milford.
The car will be subject to a technical examination, and searches are continuing in the vicinity of where it was stopped, she added.
Suspicions have been extended towards dissident republicans opposed to the peace process.
Derry district commander Supt Mark McEwan condemned those responsible.
He said: “The target of focus of the investigation is violent dissident republicans.
“This could have been a tragedy.”
‘Someone has crept in’
Speaking of the male officer targeted, he said: “This officer serves the community day and daily. He keeps people safe. Someone has crept in and planted a bomb underneath his car.”
The alarm was raised when police were alerted to suspicious activity outside the house at about 2.45am on Thursday morning.
Army bomb experts were called to the scene and declared a viable device had been found.
It is understood the targeted officer's wife is also a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Supt Mark McEwan added: “This device had the potential to harm not only the officer but anyone in that residential area and those involved have shown a blatant disregard for human life. This is yet another example of the cowardly elements in our society who show no regard for the safety of local residents and the police officers who serve their community.”
The Glenrandel area remains closed to traffic and residents. About 15 houses, including those with a number of elderly residents, were evacuated during the security alert.
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers and Minister for Justice David Ford have led condemnation of the incident.
Ms Villiers said those who planted the bomb acted in defiance of the wishes of the vast majority of people who wanted to see a peaceful and prosperous future.
Tragedy averted
Mr Ford said a tragedy had been narrowly averted.
He said: “I unreservedly condemn the people who hide in darkness and seek to use extreme violence. No rational person can see that as a way forward.”
Mark Lindsay, chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI), described the planting of the bomb as an act of madness.
He said: “There is a network of people responsible for this act of madness. They obtained the components for the device. They made the device, targeted the officer and planted it under the officer’s car in a cold-blooded attempt to murder.
“They didn’t care who else they killed or injured. Their only objective is to drag us back to darkness and hopelessness and I want to appeal to the community to help the police track down the culprits of this cowardly attack.”
There has also been condemnation from both sides of the political divide.
First Minister Peter Robinson appealed for the community to unite against the terrorists.
He said: “Everyone must stand united against those who would use violence and terror in our society and I unreservedly condemn those behind this incident.
“It is vital that those responsible are identified and brought to justice and I would urge anyone with information to pass it to the police.”
Ulster Unionist Party policing spokesman Ross Hussey said the would-be bombers were cowards.
Sinn Féin’s Raymond McCartney said he was grateful no one was hurt.
Mr McCartney said: “Thankfully no one was injured in this attack but we could have been facing serious injuries or worse.
“This is a city moving forward, and the vast majority of people do not want these type of attacks and do not support them.
“Those responsible are not representative of the people of Derry and won’t be allowed to drag us back to the past.”
In a joint statement, Derry’s four main church leaders said the attack was unjustifiable.
Bishop Donal McKeown, Bishop Ken Good, Dr Robert Buick and the Rev Peter Murray said: “We are appalled at the despicable attempt to murder a police officer in Eglinton this morning, and thankful and relieved that the attack was thwarted.
‘No justification’
“There can be no justification for the attempted murder. It was wrong. It was evil. It was reckless.
“The police have said those who left the device endangered not only the police officer but other people living in the area.”
Police have appealed for anyone who may have been in the Glenrandel area at about 2.45am on Thursday this morning or in recent days and who witnessed anything untoward to come forward.
Earlier, police sources in Derry confirmed the booby trap bomb found under the the couple’s car was a viable mercury tilt switch bomb primed to explode when the car was moved.
The bomb was made safe by British army technical officers and the intact device is to be forensically examined as part of the investigation by the PSNI’s major investigations team to determine if the attempted bombers left DNA clues or other evidence on it.
During the Troubles, Eglinton village was the home for dozens of serving police officers.
Many serving and retired officers continue to live in the village and it’s believed the couple at the centre of Thursday’s incident will soon have to leave the village now that their security has been breached.
The mixed marriage couple have been serving officers for more than 20 years and it’s understood they have two adult children. The female officer is a Catholic.
Supt McEwan said while a number of lines of inquiry were being followed, “violent dissident republicans” were the primary suspects.
“This was an attempt to murder or or cause serious injury to these officers who have been protecting the community and keeping the public safe for many years.
“I spoke to both of them this morning and they have been very calm and very professional in their reactions. The device had the potential not only to harm the officers, but also anyone else in that residential area.
“Those involved have shown a blatant disregard for human life and this is yet another example of the cowardly elements in our society who show no regard for the safety of local residents and the police officers who serve their community.
“We are obviously very thankful that this attack was thwarted and that no-one was injured there this morning, but this is a stark reminder that the threat against our police service and its employees remains at severe.
“Clearly there are people out there in today’s society who are still intent on causing murder and mayhem. These criminal elements are not welcome in our society and I am appealing to the local community for their assistance in driving this small minority from our streets and bringing them before the courts”, Supt McEwan said.
Meanwhile local SDLP MP for Foyle, Mark Durkan, condemned what he called the evil agenda of those responsible for the attempted attack.
“This was carried out by people steeped in the mindset and means of past violence. These people are capable of using a viable device but they don’t actually have a viable political strategy, no coherent message and it is not what the community wants”, Mr Durkan said.
Additional reporting: Press Association