Bomb left at Tyrone PSNI station

No group has claimed responsibility for a 300 pound bomb which failed to detonate outside the PSNI base in the border village of Aughnacloy, County Tyrone. It is understood to have been planted by a breakaway IRA faction.

After a warning was received by the PSNI, British army bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion on the white Ford Transit van which held the bomb.

The PSNI said it was “a viable device containing an estimated 300lb of explosives”.

Another vehicle found burnt-out across the border in County Monaghan on Thursday night is thought to have been used by the group responsible to return from the scene.

Sinn Fein MP for the area Michelle Gildernew said whichever of the “small militarist factions” were responsible must “seriously reflect on on what they are doing”.

“The first thing to say is that people in Aughnacloy will be relieved this morning that no damage has been done and no body has been injured,” Ms Gildernew said.

“However, people are angry at the disruption that has been caused, particularly to elderly people andy young children who were forced from their homes overnight.

“Their actions are no part of a campaign to bring about Irish unity and they have little or no popular support.”

A British bomb disposal team was also called out at the weekend to defuse a pipe bomb thrown at the Brownlow PSNI station in Craigavon, County Armagh.

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