Second pipe bomb found in Strabane
A viable pipe bomb has been recovered during a security alert in Strabane, the second device made safe in the area over the last 24 hours.
Army bomb experts were called to the scene in Townsend Street area of the Co Tyrone town, following report of a suspicious object in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
“The object, which was discovered shortly after 1am in an area known locally as the Back Row, has now been taken away for examination,” a PSNI spokesperson explained.
A number of elderly residents in the area had to leave their homes due to the alert.
It comes after the discovery of a viable pipe bomb at Strabane Golf Club on Monday which was described by the PSNI as an attempt to lure officers.
The device was found during a follow-up operation after police issued a warning on Sunday night for local people to stay vigilant after a report of a pipe bomb in the Ballycolman Road/Laurel Drive areas.
Police do not believe the two incidents are linked but are blaming dissident republicans for both.
PSNI Chief Inspector Andy Lemon said the device at Townsend Street was comprised of copper piping and was filled with explosives.
Strabane SDLP Councillor Patsy Kelly has condemned the actions of those responsible for the second viable device in Strabane as “reckless”.
“This is an extremely worrying development and, again, it’s the ordinary people of Strabane who are suffering, subjected to further disruption in the early hours of the morning,” he said.
“I condemn those who are behind this attack on the community as reckless. They must know they have no place in Strabane or, indeed, in any community.
“It is obvious, however, those intent on causing disruption in the community for a second day in a row have absolutely no regard or respect for the people of Strabane.”
Loval Sinn Féin Councillor Jay McCauley added that there was no support from the community for this type of activity.
He said: “There was a lot of elderly people put out of their homes at half past three in the morning, and were out all night, nobody wants this in Strabane, nobody wants this in Northern Ireland.”
Detectives at Strabane CID are investigating the latest incident and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on the new non-emergency number 101.
