Fermanagh bomb hoax a ploy to ‘exploit Coronavirus pandemic’, say PSNI
A hoax device was found in Rosslea on Monday
Last updated 25th Mar 2020
Dissident Republicans have used a hoax bomb alert in Fermanagh to exploit the Coronavirus pandemic.
That's the view of the PSNI.
They say those who planted the device on the Clough Road in Rosslea on Monday went to great lengths to make it look viable.
Officers have condemned those responsible for diverting police resources at a time when the PSNI is facing ' unprecedented challenges'.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Commander Superintendent Clive Beatty said, “We believe at this stage that this was the work of dissident republicans. Given the unprecedented challenges the PSNI is facing in relation to the Coronavirus pandemic, it is hard to fathom there are individuals in our community who are intent on causing such disruption by exploiting this global emergency for their own ends”
“Dissident republicans are a small minority and we need to stand as a united community, to say loudly that they are a disgrace and a distraction.”
“It beggars belief that dissident republicans would want to exploit this situation for their own ends. Their selfish behaviour ended up diverting valuable police resources away from other community priorities for a significant number of hours.”
“This says so much about dissident republicans - that in the face of a national emergency their first thought is to use the opportunity to target emergency services and first responders - the very people who are doing all they can to help communities and take care of the vulnerable.”
“I would like to thank the Rosslea community, who were disrupted today, for their patience and co-operation during the security alert.”
“The dissident republicans responsible for this senseless act went to great lengths to make this device appear viable and to plant it on Clough Road. They didn’t care about the consequences of their actions and how it would affect others.”