Police escape injury in Co Fermanagh bomb blast

An explosive device has detonated in Co Fermanagh as police and Army bomb disposal officers were searching the area.

No one was injured in the blast at Wattle Bridge close to Newtownbutler on Monday morning.

Bomb disposal officers had been in the area at the weekend responding to reports that a device had been left there.

That item was ultimately declared a hoax but it is understood another device exploded close-by on Monday when a bomb disposal team attended to review the scene. Police were also in attendance, patrolling a security cordon.

The Army team of Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO) and police officers escaped without injury.

The finger of suspicion will again point to dissident republicans opposed to the peace process.

There will be suspicions the hoax device was part of a booby trap plan to bring security forces into the area prior to the detonation of the viable device.

Dissident extremists continue to target members of the security forces in Northern Ireland.

Last month, an explosive device detonated on the Tullygally Road in Craigavon, Co Armagh, as police attended a call-out from a member of the public.

Commanders said it was a set up to lure officers into the area ahead of the murder bid.

In June, a serving police officer had a lucky escape when he found an under-car booby trap bomb attached to the underside of his vehicle in a golf club car park in east Belfast.

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Michelle Gildernew condemned those responsible for Monday morning’s incident.

“This morning’s bomb attack in Wattle Bridge was totally wrong,” said the Sinn Fein representative.

“Thankfully no one was injured in this incident but we could have been dealing with a situation where people were seriously injured or worse.

“Those responsible for this incident have nothing to offer society and need to end these actions immediately.

“Anyone with information on this should bring it forward to the PSNI.”