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IRA behind Eglinton police officer bomb attack

The car belonging to a PSNI officer is taken away in the back of a forensics lorry after a bomb was found under it in the early hours of Thursday morning at Glenrandel in Eglinton village on the outskirts of Derry city
The car belonging to a PSNI officer is taken away in the back of a forensics lorry after a bomb was found under it in the early hours of Thursday morning at Glenrandel in Eglinton village on the outskirts of Derry city The car belonging to a PSNI officer is taken away in the back of a forensics lorry after a bomb was found under it in the early hours of Thursday morning at Glenrandel in Eglinton village on the outskirts of Derry city

Police forces on both sides of the border were last night continuing to question four men about an attempted bomb attack on a police officer in Derry.

The three men arrested in Donegal are believed to be from the Lurgan and Dublin areas. A 27-year-old man, arrested in Eglinton on Thursday evening, is understood to be from the local area.

The arrests were made after what was described as a sophisticated viable bomb was left under a car belonging to a serving police officer. The car was parked at the home of the officer and his wife, who is also a member of the PSNI, at Glenrandel in Eglinton.

While no group has claimed responsibility, it is believed the attack was carried out by the group calling itself the 'IRA.'

Under Section 30 of the Republic’s Offences Against the State Act, the three men arrested at Killygordon between Strabane and Ballybofey can be held for up to 72 hours. An extension must be sought to their detention or they must be charged or released by early tomorrow morning.

The men, who were arrested by members of a Garda regional support unit around 4am on Thursday morning. They are being held at Garda stations in Letterkenny and Milford. Gardai also seized the car the men were travelling in for further forensic and technical examination.

It emerged yesterday that the couple, both of whom are police officers, are from the Catholic and Protestant tradition. It is understood couple’s children were not at home at the time of the attempted midweek attack.

A man who lives beside the two officers told of how the policewoman disturbed someone outside her house by knocking the window.

The neighbour said: "I have been talking to the couple and they are both shocked but have took it very well.

"She said that she was in bed and heard a noise outside. She came to the window and and seen the boy lying underneath the car

"She rattled the window and he jumped out and ran away."

It is understood CCTV footage at the police couple’s home may have captured the incident.

The attempted attack was discussed at the British Irish Council meeting in Dublin yesterday between the north’s justice minister, David Ford and his southern counterpart, Frances Fitzgerald.

Following the meeting, Mr Ford said: "Through close collaboration in policing and criminal justice we have shown real successes and I look forward to developing our links further through new projects."