Political leaders and community must act in unison to end dissident republican violence: DUP MLA

West Tyrone representative Tom Buchanan said that while the attempted murder of two police officers, and a hijacking and elaborate bomb hoax, was a major cause for concern, he is confident that the security forces will prevail.

Last Thursday night, two PSNI officers escaped serious injury when an improvised explosive device caused damage to their vehicle in the Mount Carmel Heights area of Strabane.

On Sunday evening, three masked men hijacked a car and, after placing an elaborate hoax device inside, ordered the driver to take it to Waterside police station.

Police Federation chairman Liam Kelly described the actions of the hijackers as “warped and downright irresponsible”.

Speaking to the News Letter on Tuesday, Mr Buchanan said that although the number of people engaged in violence is relatively small, the threat remains.

"There is a concern within the community at these latest developments, both in Strabane and in Londonderry.

"There are small pockets of folk in these areas that are causing this disturbance, and are seeking to hold communities to ransom, and also to seeking to murder police officers.

"In Strabane there was always that element, and that security threat remained there sitting under the surface, and then it came to the fore with the pipe bomb attack,” he said.

The former policing board member added: "We do need to have strong political leadership. Whenever you have political leaders coming out and making a statement that there was ‘no alternative’ to this type of activity in the past, then that is an encouragement to these folk to what they have done.

"Political leaders must come out with the strongest condemnation , and make sure that there are no hiding places for these people.

"There is a concern among the community and there is anger.”

In April last year, a bomb was left beside a part-time police officer's car at her home in Co Londonderry.

Police described that incident in Dungiven as an attempt to kill both the officer and her young daughter.

In September 2019, police discovered an explosive device containing commercial explosives, in an “advanced state of readiness,” in the Creggan area of Londonderry.

Mr Buchanan said the latest upsurge in terrorist activity is “putting stress” on the security forces.

"The [terrorists] need to realise that they are not going to do this and get away with it. They are not going to intimidate people back into those days for violence and bloodshed,” he said.

"I do believe the police will be able to keep a very thigh rein on it, but at the same time, when you have people going out at night and setting these things up, it is very difficult to have a 24/7 watch on individuals like that.

"That is where we do need the community’s support alongside the police.

"It is that vital information from the community, that is going to the police, that is going to help bring this to an end once and for all.”