Police thank community for patience

CHIEF Inspector Sam Cordner said Saturday's bomb was 'similar' to the Omagh atrocity and a deliberate attempt to kill police officers.

He said: "The criminals involved are cowardly and have no regard for human life. They are intent on causing death, injury and disruption and it does not matter who gets caught up in their cowardly attacks.

“This no warning explosion was an obvious attempt to kill police or injure police officers providing a service to this community as they responded to a neighbouring area following a very vague warning that a device had been left at a local school.

"In the event no police officers were in the area of the blast at the time of the explosion, however, three young children were and they received injuries that left them badly shaken and requiring hospital treatment.

"It is an absolute miracle that these children were not more seriously injured by this sickening attack on the most vulnerable members of our community."

He went on: "Police will not be deterred from delivering a service to the community that they deserve, despite the threat from these criminal terrorists.

"Officers will continue to provide for the policing needs of all our people and will put in place whatever measures are necessary to take a robust stance against those who seem determined to disrupt and attack communities.

“The people who carry out these senseless acts show a total disregard for their fellow man and are not part of the society within which the majority of people of Northern Ireland wish to live.

“I want to thank the local community for their patience and understanding as we investigate these current security alerts. And I ask them for their continued support to enable us to efficiently and effectively alienate those who continue to be involved in terrorism and criminality."

Anyone with information regarding the security alerts is asked to contact police at Lurgan on 0845 600 8000. Alternatively information can be passed anonymously to the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.