Northern Ireland

Police carry out searches into 'violent' dissident republican activity in Strabane

Damage caused to the wall in the bedroom at Mary Peoples' Strabane home where an explosive device hit after being thrown through the window and landed on her bed. Mary is pictured with son Ryan. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin.
Damage caused to the wall in the bedroom at Mary Peoples' Strabane home where an explosive device hit after being thrown through the window and landed on her bed. Mary is pictured with son Ryan. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin. Damage caused to the wall in the bedroom at Mary Peoples' Strabane home where an explosive device hit after being thrown through the window and landed on her bed. Mary is pictured with son Ryan. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin.

The PSNI is carrying out searches as part of an investigation into 'violent' dissident republican activity in Strabane, including pipe bomb attacks.

The operations in the Mourne Avenue, St Colman’s Drive and Innisfree Gardens areas are in connection with a number of recent incidents across Derry City and Strabane including pipe bomb attacks in Melmount Villas, Strabane earlier this month and in Drumrallagh in Strabane in July.

Detective Inspector Michael Winters said: “We are committed to disrupting the activities of these groups.

"We know that the vast majority of people support us in our aims and will continue to stand with us as we work to dismantle these groups and free communities from the threat they pose.”

A Co Tyrone pensioner was lucky to escape with her life after a pipe bomb landed on the bed she was sleeping in earlier this month.

The PSNI blamed dissident republicans for throwing the potentially deadly device through a bedroom window of Mary Peoples' home at Melmount Villas in Strabane.