That was the call of the Ulster Unionist Party's spokesperson on victims' issues Derek Hussey last night.

The UUP man was speaking after a car bomb attack on a Catholic police officer in Spamount, County Tyrone.

He said that the west of the Province had been subjected to a string of attacks by dissidents recently – but this latest one had "raised the ante".

He said: "Given the circumstances it would not be out of place for the security services, via the use of intelligence and surveillance, to put pressure on those whom they know of or are suspicious of, with regards to possible links (to dissident activity).

"It is time for the security minister and policing authorities to consider their operations before we actually have a fatality from their actions."

West Tyrone DUP MLA Tom Buchanan said that dissident republicans had no support in his area, and needed to be "rooted out".

He said: "These people are living in the past and are seeking to take people back to the days of bloodshed, murder and mayhem.

"As a member of the Policing Board, I would be calling on police to make sure they are doing all they can do - and they need the support of the community in this area to help them in this task."

Meanwhile, in a sign of how much the political climate has changed in recent years, the Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness paid a private visit to injured officer yesterday (TUE).

A spokesman said: "The Deputy First Minister visited the injured officer at Altnagelvin Hospital. It was a private visit."

Earlier the Mid Ulster MP had denounced those behind the attack, and claimed that in doing so hardline republicans had not advanced the cause of a united Ireland, nor would they undermine the political institutions.

Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly also used a new mechanism at Stormont to condemn those responsible.

Democratic Unionist Environment Minister Arlene Foster described those who carried out the attack as societal deviants.

And First Minister Ian Paisley said: "This is an attack on democracy and has no place in our society, there can be no turning back to the dark days of the past."

Last night police together with the PSNI Crime Operations Major Investigation Team issued an appeal for information.

They said they are keen to speak to anyone who saw the victim's car on fire at the Drumnaby Road in Spamount village between 9.15 and 9.30pm.

They are also asking anyone who was in the Erganagh Road and Strabane Road area over the last three or four days and saw any suspicious activity to contact them in Castlederg.

The officer, who is in Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry, was last night said to be "stable and comfortable".