Unionist and Sinn Féin politicians tonight demanded an end to dissident republican violence after confirmation the explosive Semtex was used in an attack on police in Co Fermanagh over the weekend.
The powerful Czech-made explosive was a main element of the Provisional IRA's arsenal before the republican movement decommissioned its weapons in 2005.
But today politicians hit out after it was confirmed a weekend attack where three officers escaped serious injury was carried out by dissident republicans armed with an improvised rocket launcher using Semtex.
Deputy Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Paul Leighton said the officers targeted at 11pm on Saturday night in the border town of Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, were lucky to be alive.
"This was significant in that there was Semtex used, it didn't go off but there was Semtex there," he said.
"Where it has come from I do not know, it is similar to devices used in the province during the Troubles by other groups but when it passed over to dissident groups, how it came to be in their possession I don't know at this point in time."
Two officers were on patrol on Main Street, Lisnaskea, while a third was in a nearby police vehicle when a man stepped from a white Ford Escort and aimed an improvised rocket launcher at the officers.
They dived for cover and escaped after suffering shock and minor injuries when the device failed to detonate.
The Deputy Chief Constable said renegade republicans had been responsible for seven other murder attempts on police officers in the last year.
In June dissident republicans planted a 150lb landmine in a bid to murder police near the village of Roslea, also in Fermanagh.
Two officers lured to the area by a hoax phone call escaped death or serious injury when the bomb's detonator failed to trigger the main device.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Assembly member Peter Weir today called for action to end violence by dissident republican groupings.
"Tough action is called for now to eliminate these groups, who are clearly developing their capacity and technical ability to wage such attacks," said Mr Weir.
"The police should be given the resources and the support they need to take the fight to the dissident Republican micro-groups, who I believe are held in widespread contempt on both sides of our community."
Sinn Féin Fermanagh South Tyrone MP Michelle Gildernew said dissident republicans had no support.
"Those who carried out this attack have nothing to offer. They have little support and their actions will not advance Irish Unity one bit," she said.
"Sinn Féin have a strategy for Irish Unity and we will not be deflected by these activities.
"Many within the republican nationalist community wonder just whose agenda these groups are operating to."
The PSNI appealed for anyone with information on the Lisnaskea attack to come forward.
Mr Leighton said he did not know how the dissidents had obtained the Semtex, but said it was likely the improvised rocket launcher was an old weapon.
"I'm not responsible for decommissioning and I don't know where the weaponry has come from but for me it looks as if it came from old stock, from a old type of device which we have seen before in the province many many years ago," he said.
"How and when it transferred hands I do not know. I believe it is Semtex which came into the province around the time the IRA got their supply of Semtex but how it transferred to this grouping I do not know.
"We knew that they had access to weaponry due to the passing across of personnel, so I am not surprised that they have access to it."
The police chief said he did not believe dissidents had opened up a new Semtex supply chain.
"As far as I am aware it is the first time they have used Semtex," he said.
"It does not appear to be new Semtex. So it does not raise a concern with me that they have a new supply of Semtex."
PA