British army defuses Derry car bomb

British army experts defused a bomb late last night on the Derry to Strabane Road in Co Derry

British army experts defused a bomb late last night on the Derry to Strabane Road in Co Derry. The RUC say the bomb was planted in a bogus car crash in a bid to lure RUC officers into a death trap.

The RUC blamed dissident republicans for the 60lb of homemade explosives left in the boot of the car.

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This was a sophisticated remote controlled device involving an elaborate plan to lure police officers to a staged road traffic accident with the intent to kill.
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RUC superintendent Mr Peter Sheridan

The car had been pushed into a lamp post to make it look like an accident scene, so that officers would be lured towards the bomb.

But the RUC feared a trap and called in a British army bomb disposal team.

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RUC superintendent Mr Peter Sheridan said those responsible may have been poised to detonate the device by remote control.

Speaking at the scene, Mr Sheridan said: "There is no doubt, there was a determination to kill. This was a sophisticated remote controlled device involving an elaborate plan to lure police officers to a staged road traffic accident with the intent to kill."

AFP