Bomb found in Enniskillen was 'headed for Northern Ireland police station'

A car bomb found in County Fermanagh was destined for a police station, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said.

Security forces examined the vehicle, which was abandoned on the Derrylin Road outside Enniskillen, and the device has now been made safe.

Its location is not far from the luxury Lough Erne golf resort where US president Barack Obama, German chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin will meet for June’s G8 conference.

“The people responsible for this have no regard for the lives of anyone in our community,” said PSNI district commander Pauline Shields. “It is fortunate that no-one was killed or seriously injured as a result of this reckless act.”

Though investigations are at an early stage, it is believed the bomb was destined for Lisnaskea PSNI station. Dissident republicans are prime suspects.

Police received reports of a suspect vehicle in the area in the early hours of Friday. A security operation which saw residents evacuated from their homes continued throughout the night until 11am today.

Army technical officers carried out a clearance operation on the suspicious car and a viable device was made safe.

Ms Shields added: “Once again our community has been disrupted and the lives of residents put at risk by an element intent on causing loss of life and disruption.

The finger of blame for the latest attempted attack on police will be pointed at dissident republicans, who have murdered two soldiers, two policemen and a prison guard in their campaign of violence.

A week ago officers discovered a mortar-type device aimed towards New Barnsley police station in north Belfast. Also, three officers escaped injury when an explosive device detonated within metres of them as they patrolled a coastal path on the outskirts of Belfast.

Earlier this month two men were arrested after police intercepted a van carrying four mortar bombs which were primed and ready to fire at a station in Londonderry.

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said: "The abandoned device dealt with by PSNI sadly reminds us that there are still a small minority who are determined to damage communities and cause death and disruption.

"Those responsible for it have neither mandate nor legitimacy; they are totally out of touch with what the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland want.”