POLICE have launched a murder bid probe after a senior PSNI officer found a booby trap bomb under his car while off duty at a golf club in east Belfast.

Shortly before 1pm this afternoon, Saturday 01 June, a suspicious object was detected under a serving police officer’s car in Shandon Park in east Belfast.

Ammunition Technical Officers were called to the scene and, following examination, they have declared it to be a viable improvised explosive device.

Detective Superintendent Sean Wright, Head of Terrorism Investigation Unit, said: “It is very fortunate that this device was detected before it exploded and that no one was killed or seriously injured.

“It was clearly intended to kill the police officer.  In placing such a device, terrorists have also put the officer’s family, neighbours and members of the public at serious risk.

“Attacks on police officers are attacks on the entire community and they are an attack on our democracy.

“Anyone who places an explosive device under a car in a built up area cares little about our communities.

“Their reckless violence cannot be allowed to continue.

“There are people within our communities who know who did this and there are people out there who knew this was being planned.

“There are also people out there who know those who are members of terrorist groups.

“My plea to all of those people is to tell us what they know and by doing so they will help to prevent this small minority dragging us back to the past.

“Our belief is that this attempted murder was carried by violent dissident republicans.

“They don’t care who they attack, they don’t care who they kill. They are simply anti-peace and anti-democracy.

“The community can be assured that the Police Service of Northern Ireland will do everything possible within the law to bring those responsible to justice.

“However, it is very important that we get information about this incident quickly.

“We need support from members of the public in bringing those responsible to justice.”