Police say a bomb that exploded on a country road in south Armagh was designed to kill or injure officers.
A device exploded at about 1730 BST on Saturday between Belleek and Cullyhanna, blowing a crater in the road and damaging a stone bridge.
No-one was hurt in the incident, which politicians are blaming on dissident republicans.
Chief Superintendent Alisdair Robinson said police were treating the blast "extremely seriously".
They have launched a major investigation and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
'Callous disregard'
Ch Supt Robinson said the bomb was "a totally reckless act that could have easily led to loss of life if anyone had been driving past at the time".
"However, I believe at this stage - the real target was my officers. This was an attempt to lure police into the area to injure or kill them," he said.
"At this stage we do not believe this incident poses any further risk to members of the public, but it does pose a significant risk to my officers. That is why we are treating this incident with extreme caution.
"The reality is there are people out there who have a callous disregard for the lives of both local members of the community and my officers. They took the decision to plant this device knowing only too well the potential deadly consequences."
The explosion happened about three miles outside the village of Belleek, under a bridge on Carrickrovaddy Road, and police say surrounding routes will be closed for some time.
Ulster Unionist assembly member Danny Kennedy said he had "no doubt it was an attempt to raise tensions in the area before the Twelfth of July".
"I find the rise in the number of dissident attacks extremely worrying," he said.
"Actions like these have no place in our society and I urge anyone who has information that might help the police to contact the PSNI."
SDLP assembly member Dominic Bradley added: "Whatever the reason for it and whoever's responsible for it, it's wrong and shouldn't be happening."
Announcement
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Contact details
Effective today, the contact details for the Northern Ireland Veterans' Association have changed to the following
The Secretary
57 Mortimer Street,
Derby.
DE24 8FX
Email: membership@nivets.org.uk
Web: www.nivets.org.uk
Mob: 07368 293729
NIVA Administration.
The Secretary
57 Mortimer Street,
Derby.
DE24 8FX
Email: membership@nivets.org.uk
Web: www.nivets.org.uk
Mob: 07368 293729
NIVA Administration.
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Latest Articles
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This years’ service will be held at 11.30am on Saturday 14th September 2024 at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.
The service will commemorate and remember all those who lost their lives in service of the Crown as a result of the conflict in N. Ireland.
The chapel service will be followed by a parade down to the Ulster Ash Grove for the laying of wreathes.
Following the laying of the wreathes, there will be a 15-minute pause before...-
Channel: The NIVA News
12-03-2024, 03:17 PM -
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Northern Ireland Veterans' Association
Service of Remembrance
National Memorial Arboretum
Saturday 9th September 2023
This years’ service will be held at 11.30am on Saturday 9th September 2023 at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.
The service will commemorate and remember all those who lost their lives in service of the Crown as a result of the conflict in N. Ireland.
The chapel...-
Channel: The NIVA News
05-06-2023, 04:25 PM -
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This year's service will be held at the NMA on Saturday 10th September. At present, we won't be aware of restrictions, if any, that the NMA will impose on attendees (pre booking cars, names etc) but as this information is made available to us, we will publish it.
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Channel: The NIVA News
08-02-2022, 09:14 PM -
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NIVA Service Of Remembrance
The 2021 service will be held at 11.30am on Saturday 11th September 2021 at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.The service will commemorate and remember all those who lost their lives in service of the Crown as a result of the conflict in N. Ireland.The chapel service will be followed by a parade down to the Ulster Ash Grove for the laying of wreathes. ...-
Channel: The NIVA News
04-04-2021, 07:45 PM -
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Ten members and wives assembled today at the Ulster Ash Grove to represent all our members for the Act of Remembrance. ...-
Channel: The NIVA News
19-09-2020, 07:26 PM -
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It is our sad duty to inform you that Ken passed away on Thursday 19th March 2020 after a brief struggle with cancer.
A full obituary will be published in the forthcoming Newsletter.
The NIVA Annual Service of Remembrance was booked with the NMA to take place on Saturday 12th September 2020. Since that booking was made, we have been advised that the NMA is closed for the foreseeable future. Alternative arrangements may have to be made. Keep logging in to follow and-
Channel: The NIVA News
25-03-2020, 02:28 PM -