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Pensioner in Co Tyrone pipe bomb police probe released

British Army bomb disposal experts were called in to deal with what police described as a viable device in Strabane.
British Army bomb disposal experts were called in to deal with what police described as a viable device in Strabane. British Army bomb disposal experts were called in to deal with what police described as a viable device in Strabane.

Three men arrested after a pipe-bomb find in Co Tyrone were released last night.

A 77-year-old man was arrested with two other men, aged 43 and 45, on Sunday during a major police operation in the Drumrallagh estate.

Ten homes were evacuated and army technical officers were called in after police discovered what they described as a “viable device” during the search of three homes in the town.

A police spokeswoman said all three men were taken to Musgrave Serious Crime suite in Belfast.

All three have been released unconditionally.

Strabane police chief, Superintendent Gordon McCalmont said the device was designed to “maim and kill.”

“Only the terrorists can tell us what they intended doing with this device but we have seen them used against police officers, used against our community, used to disrupt our community so there’s a whole spectrum," he said.

The police chief said officers also removed a number of other items.

“These (Sunday’s searches) were part of our ongoing investigations into violent dissident republican activity,” he said, adding that whoever was responsible had 'no regard for the safety' of people living in the area.