McGuinness visits officer injured in bomb attack

Local & National

The scene at Spamount near Castlederg this morning where an off duty policeman was injured by a booby-trap car bomb

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

By Claire Weir

Martin McGuinness has paid a hospital visit to the Catholic police officer injured in a bomb attack.

The Deputy First Minister called at the bedside of the officer — who suffered serious leg injuries when a bomb blew up under his car on Monday night.

A spokesman for Mr McGuinness today confirmed that a visit had taken place at Altnagelvin Hospital but would not elaborate. He said: "It was a private matter."

The former IRA chief's move came as condemnation continued to grow following the attack at Spamount, near Castlederg, which is being blamed on dissident republicans.

A top ranking policewoman has said the officer, believed to be from Omagh, could have been killed if members of the public had not intervened and dragged him from the flaming vehicle.

Assistant Chief Constable Judith Gillespie added that it was too early to say which dissident grouping had planted the under-car device.

ACC Gillespie said that when she visited her colleague in hospital, he had seemed in "good spirits" but had very serious leg injuries following the explosion.

"He was based in Enniskillen and was on his way to perform night duty in Enniskillen. Nobody should be attacked in this way," she said.

"He has serious leg injuries and will take some time to recover. He has had surgery and it is expected that he will make a full recovery.

"He is in good spirits but he needs rest and care and our thoughts are with him and his family. He will be affected both physically and mentally but he is very determined to get back to work."

ACC Gillespie said that the PSNI will be working hard to develop intelligence surrounding such attacks.

"These incidents have been happening throughout the province and we will not in any way be deterred from our duties. The Chief Constable has already stated that dissident republicans have the capacity to mount attacks, " she said.

She added that security is kept in constant review and, while it was too early to say how and where the bomb was attached to the car, she confirmed that it was an under-car type device.

ACC Gillespie said the PSNI would continue to protect the streets in a high-profile and visible manner and would not be retreating behind walls. She also thanked those who helped pull the officer from the car.

"I shudder to think what might have happened, he had a very, very fortunate escape. The car he was in was absolutely gutted and chances are that if he hadn't been pulled out he could have been much more seriously hurt or he could have died."

One of the first people to arrive on the scene was local man Tommy Sproule who said that he and other members of the public helped move the injured officer a safe distance away from the vehicle, just moments before it erupted in flames.

"If we hadn't moved him, he was only about two metres from the boot of the car, his injuries would have been a lot worse than what they were," he said.

Mr Sproule said that the officer, whose leg was cut almost to the bone, feared it had been blown off altogether.