Police in Northern Ireland today appealed for information about an “indiscriminate and reckless” attack in which an explosive was hurled at officers in Belfast.
Three police officers were hurt in last night‘s incident and one remains in hospital with severe injuries to his arm which will require further surgery today.
Chief Supt Alan Todd of the PSNI described the incident as “a clear attempt to murder officers".
PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott today said last night’s suspected dissident republican attack in the west of the city could have claimed many lives.
Officers were investigating a robbery at a bookmakers in Shaw’s Road at around 9pm when a young man rode up on a bicycle and threw the device at them.
Appealing for information on the culprit, Mr Baggott said: “It was a very serious attempt to maim or kill police officers and it was very serious attempt to maim or kill innocent people walking down that street,” he said at police headquarters in Belfast.
“Shaw’s Road last night was not an isolated place - it was a busy thoroughfare with adults, young people and children. People going about their lives and someone threw a deadly explosive device into a crowded thoroughfare.”
While police are investigating whether the robbery was a set up to lure officers into the area, evidence suggests that it was an opportunist attack.
Mr Baggott rejected any suggestion that republican districts like west Belfast could again become ‘no go’ areas for the police if such murder bids continued.
“The people of west Belfast don’t want that and neither do we,” he said. “There are no ‘no go’ areas in Northern Ireland.
"There are areas were we have to be careful, we value the support of the community and their understanding that sometimes we can’t answer calls as quickly as we would like because of course we have to look after our colleagues . . . but there will be no ‘no go’ areas. We are here to protect people,” he said.
PA