Strabane bomb: New IRA says it was behind attack on police

The blast is believed to have been caused by an improvised device left by the roadside

The New IRA has said it carried out a bomb attack on a police patrol in County Tyrone.

The Irish News said it had issued a statement to the newspaper using a recognised codeword.

Two officers escaped injury when a bomb detonated at the side of their vehicle in Strabane on 17 November.

Neither officer was injured in the explosion which happened in the Mount Carmel Heights area of the town.

Detectives have previously said a strong line of inquiry was that a dissident republican group was behind the attack.

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On Friday, Det Ch Insp Andrew Hamlin of the PSNI's terrorism investigation unit said investigations were continuing into the "attempted murder" of the officers.

"We believe the attack was carried out by the New IRA who caused the explosion by using an improvised explosive device," he said.

"We continue to appeal to anyone with information to contact police."

Six men arrested as part of the investigation into the bomb attack have all been released.