POLICE have yet to carry out forensic tests at the scene of a bomb in south Armagh due to fears that the explosion may have been a ploy to lure officers into the area.
The blast on the Carrickrovaddy Road between Newtownhamilton and Belleeks blew a large crater in the road and damaged a stone bridge, but no-one was injured.
The bomb exploded just hours after five men were arrested near Omeath in a Gardai investigation into dissident republican activity.
The Carrickrovaddy Road has been closed since but the PSNI have still not attended the blast scene due to fears that a second device may have been left in the vicinity.
Superintendent Pauline Shields said police closed the road off within minutes of the blast but said they have not attended the scene due to a “real risk” to officers.
“We are treating the scene with extreme caution as this was a blatant and callous attempt to kill and injure my officers,” she said.
“The threat to police remains extremely high. We believe there is currently no risk to members of the public – this is a small, isolated country road.
“But there is a real risk to my officers. That is why we have to assess the situation and take the right action to keep both the community and my officers safe.
“However, we are doing everything in our power to keep them safe and to investigate the incident.”
The PSNI came in for criticism in April when members of the Fire Service evacuated the scene of a car bomb in Newtownhamilton due to police concerns that there may have been another device in the area.
Commenting on the police response time on Saturday, Supt Shields added: “Within minutes of the incident being reported to police, we made arrangements for the road to be closed, set up an incident room and commenced a major investigation.”
The bomb was placed under a bridge on the road and some reports have suggested that it may have been a dummy run by dissidents in the use of culvert devices.
Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy said the bomb has created a "huge inconvenience" for people in the area.
"The sole outcome of this attack is that the Creamery Bridge has been destroyed and the road has been closed," he said.
"One would also have to take into consideration the fact that this bomb could have seriously injured local people travelling on this road, a fact which the perpetrators seem to have ignored."
DUP assemblyman William Irwin said the attack was a clear attempt to kill police officers, while Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy believes the blast was aimed at heightening tensions around the Twelfth.
SDLP assemblyman Dominic Bradley added: "Whatever the reason for it and whoever's responsible for it, it's wrong and shouldn't be happening."
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old man appeared in court yesterday charged in connection with a Gardai operation into dissident activity in Omeath.
Five men were arrested in three cars near Omeath on Friday evening and a quantity of ammunition was discovered during follow-up searches in Louth and Meath.