Police in Northern Ireland were on full alert tonight after an officer’s girlfriend narrowly escaped death when a bomb exploded under her car.
Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson condemned the attack and said the bombers had nothing to offer and would not succeed in plunging the province back into the dark days of its past.
The 38-year-old woman was pulled from her mangled sports car and treated in hospital for what miraculously turned out to be minor injuries before being discharged.
She was reversing the red Mazda MX5 out of the driveway of a semi-detached house in Kingsdale Gardens, a quiet residential street half a mile from police headquarters in east Belfast, when the bomb went off.
The blast at 7.30am sent shockwaves through the most unionist of areas and the entire police family.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said the device had been designed to kill, and while they declined to point the finger of blame so early in their investigations, dissident republicans were suspected.
Last month the Real IRA exploded a bomb outside a policeman’s home in Derry on the same day a pipe bomb failed to detonate outside his sister’s home.
The Continuity IRA claimed responsibility for the murder of Constable Stephen Carroll who was shot dead in Craigavon in March.
Chief Superintendent Brian Maguire, who is leading the hunt for the bombers, said: “Clearly there are people out there in today’s society who are still intent on causing murder and mayhem.
“The Army technical officer has confirmed this was a viable device capable of causing death or serious injury.
“We are investigating the possibility that this was an under-car booby-trap device.”
The bomb was fitted under the front passenger side of the two-seater car and Mr Maguire said: “Had a person been sitting in the passenger side, we may be talking about a fatality here today.”
It is believed the woman often gave her partner a lift to work - he is understood to be a police dog handler - and he would have been in the passenger seat.
Mr Maguire said officers had for some time been on alert and advised to check under their cars because of the increased dissident threat.
“We are aware there is a serious threat and that has been the case for some time.”
Kingsdale Park remained sealed off for hours while forensic experts combed the area for clues. The soft-top car remained behind screens half in the drive and half across the road.
Security Minister Paul Goggins said the attack was repulsive.
“Mercifully, this woman escaped with minor injuries but those who planted this bomb had murder in mind. They do not care who they kill,” he said.
“News of this attack will repulse people across Northern Ireland. The remarkable progress that Northern Ireland has made over the past decade will not be derailed by criminals operating under the cover of darkness.”
Mr Robinson, said the attack was “an evil act designed to murder a police officer.”
The Democratic Unionist Party leader and East Belfast MP added: “I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. Those responsible have nothing to offer and must face the full rigours of the law.
“Undoubtedly those responsible are determined that Northern Ireland should be plunged back into the dark days of the past. They will not succeed.”
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said he condemned an attack which had obviously been intended to kill.
He said: “The vast majority of people want a future together in peace. The people of Ireland overwhelmingly support the peace process. They want the political institutions and progress to continue.
“Attempts like this to derail the peace process must not be allowed to succeed.”
Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long condemned those responsible for what she branded “a completely reckless and indiscriminate attack”.
The Alliance Party Assembly member for East Belfast said it was a deeply concerning incident.
“Not only was that poor woman injured, but anyone could have been walking by at the time.
“It is only by the grace of God that no one was killed.”
Speaking at the scene of the explosion, the Lord Mayor said: “The people responsible for this have nothing to offer Northern Ireland but misery and pain.
“People want to move on. The people of Northern Ireland don’t want to be dragged back to the past where this sort of thing happened.”
Ulster Unionist leader and East Belfast MLA Sir Reg Empey said the bombing was “a despicable assault on our entire community”.
He added: “Police officers realise the dangers unfortunately associated with their role. In a civilised society, however, their families must never be exposed to those dangers.”
Surveying the bomb scene, he added: “Those who carried out this evil act are intent on forcing our community back into the dark days. They are driven by an ideology of violence and sectarian hatred.
“The majority of people right across our community reject these terrorists, their acts and their perverse beliefs.”
The attacks comes amid ongoing negotiations between the Stormont administration and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown over the stalled devolution of policing powers to the region from Westminster.
Mr Robinson has insisted he will not agree to responsibilities being transferred until the Treasury stumps up a sufficient financial package to support the move.
Arriving back in the North tonight after cutting short an engagement in London, the First Minister said the murder bid highlighted the importance of securing the resources to tackle the dissident republican threat.
“It’s vitally important when we are dealing with policing issues that we can recognise the ability of terrorists, no matter how small a group they may be, to single someone out and to have been able to get sufficient intelligence to enable them to do that,” he said outside George Best Belfast City airport.
“That indicates to me that we need to be sure that we have proper protection for those who are or have been in the security forces and I think it justifies the caution that I and others have taken to make sure that we get the resources right for policing and justice.
“It is essential that the police have the funding necessary to do the job and to go after these people and ensure that they are prosecuted and put away.”
PA