Dissident republicans intent on murdering police officers were last night blamed for a massive bomb found planted in south Armagh — more powerful than the device which devastated Omagh.

Police said the deadly bomb, containing 600lb of home-made explosives, had the potential to cause “terrible carnage” had it exploded on the country road near the border village of Forkhill.

The device — 100lb bigger than the Omagh bomb — was left just 50 feet from a nearby home. In all, some 20 residents were forced to flee their homes during the four-day operation to defuse the huge bomb.

Dissident republicans are suspected of setting the bomb which had a command wire which led across the border to a firing point.

PSNI Commander for Newry and Mourne, Chief Inspector Sam Cordner, said the explosion, had it gone off, “would have demolished local housing, with fatal consequence”.

”Their actions were reckless and dangerous in the extreme,” he said. “Their target may have been the police, but they did not care who they killed or injured.

“It is only through the hard work and professionalism of police officers and their military colleagues that the area has been made safe.”

The device was the largest bomb planted in Northern Ireland in eight years. It comes in a year of heightened dissident activity which has seen two soldiers and a police officer killed.

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