Bomb targets police officers in Northern Ireland

THREE police officers have escaped injury in a bomb attack in Northern Ireland.

Police confirmed that a report of a blast near officers on patrol in north Belfast last night was caused by an explosive device. They said they are treating it as attempted murder.

The incident happened at around 9:15pm on Saturday as officers responding to a call out in the Hazelbank area made their way along the Duncrue towpath near the M5 motorway.

A blast went off close to the officers, prompting a security alert. The area was sealed off for more than 24 hours as searches were carried out by police and army bomb disposal experts.

A spokeswoman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland described the search operation as “lengthy and complex”.

While not injured, the spokeswoman said the officers were left badly shaken.