Terror attack on police station

Rwere evacuated from their homes after an explosion outside Strand Road police station.

There were no reports of injuries in the incident outside Strand Road station at 12.15am early on Saturday morning.

The attack has been widely condemned.

Police said army technical officers were examining a car on Queen Street reported to be on fire shortly after the explosion was heard.

Brian Rea, acting chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board,said afterwards:

"This latest attack on a police station has caused inconvenience and stress to those residents who had to be evacuated from their homes in the early hours of this morning.

"Thankfully there were no injuries to members of the public or police officers and I would urge anyone with information to pass it on to the police."

Elderly people from a nearby housing fold were among the evacuees.

Londonderry SDLP councillor Helen Quigley said:

"Yet again undue distress has been inflicted upon our elderly people as they have been forced to leave their homes in the middle of the night due to another terrorist attack in Derry."

Earlier in the month, when terrorists tried to disrupt the general election count at Templemore sports complex, elderly people in sheltered accommodation had to be moved from their homes.