Mum’s anger after mortar left yards from family home
A mum has spoken of her fear and anger after a mortar bomb was planted yards from her family’s Strabane home, within easy reach for her seven-year-old son.
The viable device was found in the Church View Close area on Saturday, on a wall overlooking the police station.
But between the mortar and its target sits another family home and, just to one side, a children’s play park.
VIDEO: Local mum speaks out over mortar bomb risk to son
“My son comes every morning to look over the wall to see if any of his friends are in the park,” Aileen Mullan told UTV.
“There’s no doubt that he would have been able to reach it – and I wouldn’t have my son any more, simple as that.”
A 33-year-old man arrested and questioned under terrorism legislation by police investigating the discovery of the mortar has since been released.
Senior officers have blamed the New IRA for what is the latest in a string of dissident attacks, amid an upsurge in violence across Northern Ireland.
READ MORE: Police blame New IRA for Strabane mortar bomb
In January, a car bomb exploded outside the courthouse in Derry, while in April, journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead amid rioting in the city.
In June, a bomb was planted under a police officer’s car at a golf club in east Belfast.
In July, a bid to murder police in Craigavon was uncovered when a viable device was found, and in August, a bomb exploded in Wattle Bridge in Co Fermanagh.
PSNI District Commander Superintendent Gordon McCalmont said devices were being left in areas that showed “absolute disregard for the community”.
Meanwhile, around 80 officers and explosive detection dogs have been searching for bomb-making equipment in the Creggan area of Londonderry, following the mortar bomb discovery.
A suspicious device has been found and police have come under attack from youths throwing petrol bombs and other missiles.