Dissident bomb would have caused 'utter devastation'

Police admitted last night that a deadly van bomb, planted outside a PSNI station by dissident republicans, would have caused "utter devastation" if it had been detonated. The van, which contained an estimated 300 pounds of homemade explosive, was left outside the station in the border village of Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, on Thursday night. Some 350 people were evacuated from their homes as the bomb was being defused by British army ordnance experts, and residents had to spend the night in three local halls. A burnt-out car was later found abandoned near the border in Co Monaghan and gardai were last night working closely with the PSNI to establish if it was linked to the terror gang behind the failed bomb attempt.