Police in Derry have expressed their appreciation of good co-opeation from the community in their hunt for the violent rapist of an 18-year-old American student at the weekend.
The student, from Michigan, was on a field trip to the northwest, which was organised by a university in Dublin.
The victim, who is believed to have returned to the US, was raped in a car park close to the Bogside Inn in the Bogside just after 10pm on Saturday. Details were only made public by the PSNI on Monday night.
Chief Insp Chris Yates, who is leading the investigation, said the rapist was armed with a knife when he assaulted his victim.
"I am confident that the assailant will be made amenable and we have been given a lot of support and information from the local community. So far we haven't got a name for the suspect. I don't care how I get that information as long as I get it.
"This was a very serious sexual assault which has left the victim seriously traumatised. She was socialising in the Bogside Inn with friends when she left their company and went outside. There a male, aged 18 to 20, about 5ft 10in, of slim build and with short dark hair, confronted her with a knife, forced her to a nearby car park and raped her. The assailant was wearing a white T-shirt with a green stripe or logo. We are examining CCTV recordings from the area," he said.
The management of the Bogside Inn issued a statement expressing their shock and appealing for anyone with information to contact the police.
Martina Anderson, Sinn Féin MLA for Derry, said the attack had stunned the community. "People just can't believe that something like this has happened to this young visitor in our community and our thoughts are with her and her family at this difficult moment for them. We all want this person caught and put in jail and to that end everyone should co-operate with the police investigation," she said.
SDLP councillor Helen Quigley said: "I am horrified because of what happened to this visitor to this city to whom my prayers go out and I am embarrassed at the way my city's image has been tarnished both here and in the victim's home town."
Nora Duncan, student welfare officer at the University of Ulster in Derry, said the attack had shocked students. "We always give the appropriate advice to students including distributing personal alarms but everyone thinks it won't happen to them. The fact that the attacker was also armed with a knife is particularly appalling," she said.