Dungiven: Fourth man arrested as security alert ends

A fourth man has been arrested after a viable pipe bomb was found in Dungiven, County Londonderry.

A security alert which began on Saturday ended on Monday, but police have warned of claims a second device may still be in the area.

The 55 year-old-man was arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.

Three others aged 55, 22 and 35, who were arrested earlier on Monday in connection with the alert remain in police custody.

The security alert in Dungiven lasted almost 48 hours but all roads have been re-opened.

A pipe bomb was found at Curragh Road near Dungiven on Sunday.

Police said the device was made safe and had been taken away for forensic examination.

Some homes in the area had to be evacuated during the alert.

Area Commander for Causeway Coast and Glens, Supt Mark Roberts said a call was received using a recognised code word claiming there had been an attack on PSNI officers and that two devices had been left at the junction of the Curragh Road with Garvagh Road and the Old Foreglen Road.

He said: "We have as yet been unable to corroborate the claims of an attack and following comprehensive specialist search of this 11-mile stretch of road since Saturday, nothing else untoward has been found.

"The people responsible should be ashamed of themselves for placing local people at risk by leaving a viable device in the heart of a community not to mention the disruption they caused to this community as police worked tirelessly to keep people safe."

Sinn Féin councillor Sean McGlinchey described the security alert as "despicable and totally unacceptable".

"I have to stress Dungiven is a thriving community," Mr McGlinchey told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today.

"No one in this community supports this type of act," he said.

Mr McGlinchey told the programme it was difficult to comprehend the motivation of those responsible for the alert.

"We have moved forward, hopefully these people can move on too at some stage," he said.

Church of Ireland Rector in Dungiven Rev Mark Loney said those responsible did not have support from "any section of the Dungiven community".

"Mindless and despicable actions like this will not succeed in breeding fear or destabilising cross-community relations," he said.

"I completely condemn it, the disruption caused, and shudder to think of the potential injury or loss of precious God-given life that could have resulted therefrom," he added

The PSNI have appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.