A device which sparked a security alert and evacuation of a gold club and course in Belfast, saw the current Chief Constable of the PSNI, George Hamilton, describe it as a ‘despicable attack’.
A short statement released by Mr Hamilton said;
“I utterly condemn the attempted murder of one my officers in Belfast today. My thoughts are with the officer and their family. Those who carried out this despicable attack have nothing to offer Northern Ireland but a return to the pain and suffering of the past.”
The alert was raised when a member of the public, thought to be the off duty officer themselves, noticed a suspicious object under the car as they were leaving the golf club in the east of the city.
The area was quickly sealed off and Army Technical Offices accessed the object as being viable, and dealt with it accordingly.
The off duty officer is thought to be a regular at the golf course which may have made him an easy and predictable target for dissident republicans, who are being blamed for the attack.
It’s not known, but is thought that the device may have been attached to the vehicle the evening previous.
“It was clearly intended to kill the police officer. It is very fortunate that this device was detected before it exploded and that no one was killed or seriously injured.
In placing such a device, terrorists have also put the officer’s family, neighbours and members of the public at serious risk.”
Said the head of the Terrorism Investigation Unit, Det Supt Sean Wright.
Police are now appealing for information to help with their investigation.
