Police step up patrols to counter dissident threat after car bomb attack

Police will step up patrols and checkpoints to counter the dissident republican threat after a car bomb attack.

The bomb exploded outside the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) station in Dunmurry in County Antrim on Saturday night after a delivery driver was forced to transport it.

On Tuesday, Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck said the PSNI had "concerns about threats across Northern Ireland from dissident groups", and as part of a high-visibility policing operation there would be more vehicle checkpoints and patrols.

In a statement to the Irish News, the New IRA said it was responsible for the attack.

The dissident republican group said it had been an attempt to kill police officers as they tried to leave the building.

The vehicle was hijacked at gunpoint in Twinbrook in west Belfast shortly after 22:50 BST on Saturday.

The vehicle was then fitted with a gas cylinder device before the driver was ordered to bring the bomb to the station.

The device detonated while police were directing local residents to safety, including families with young babies.

The attack took place in a built-up area, close to family homes in which many children were already in bed asleep.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Beck said the PSNI's job was "to keep communities safe and also our officers who bravely serve to protect these communities".

"We are taking every reasonable step to do so. However, we need the active support of our communities to do this," he said.

The PSNI is treating the attack as attempted murder.

Northern Ireland's police chief said it was a "deliberate, reckless and stupid attack".

Boutcher was speaking at a press conference at Stormont, during which the first and deputy first ministers and the Policing Board chairman also condemned the attack.

He called the bombers "mindless idiots" and urged anyone with information to contact the PSNI "before these people actually harm or kill somebody".

'Fascist thugs and cowards'

THe chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, which represents rank and file PSNI officers, said the statement issued to The Irish News bore "all the hallmarks of fascist thugs and cowards".

"This is a pathetic claim of responsibility for the Dunmurry PSNI Station attack," Liam Kelly said.

He described it as "old rhetoric dressed as new from a small, self-styled group".

Kelly said there was an onus on political, church and civic leaders to condemn "this cowardly attempt to bully and intimidate our police colleagues".

"It's time for them to get off the fence to show they are 100% supportive of the work our men and women do in all communities to investigate crime and safeguard people," he said.

Who are dissident republicans?

The term "dissident republicans" describes a range of individuals who do not accept the Good Friday Agreement.

The Provisional IRA - the main armed republican paramilitary group for most of the Troubles - declared a ceasefire in the run up to the agreement and officially ended its violent campaign in 2005.

Dissident republicanism is made up of various groups which broke away from the Provisional IRA, including the Continuity IRA and New IRA.

The groups are much smaller than the Provisional IRA, although they have access to high-calibre weapons and explosive devices.