An SDLP Assembly member has blamed republicans for a double petrol-bomb attack on his home at Laurel Drive, in Strabane, early yesterday morning.
Mr Eugene McMenamin said that, although two cars parked in the driveway of his home were destroyed, be believes those responsible for the attack planned to burn down his family home.
Mr. McMenamin said that the self-styled vigilantes who disagreed with his party's policy on policing could easily have killed him or the three members of his family who were sleeping at the time of the early-morning attack.
"But for the fact that we heard the explosions when the petrol-bombs hit the cars which were parked just inches away from the living-room window, we might not have got out alive," he said.
"I will not be intimidated out of politics, nor out of my home. This was an attack not only on me but on my family. It's not the first time my home has been singled out in this way. Just over two years ago pro-republican slogans were painted on the side wall. My family has been deeply traumatised by this latest attack, but we all realise it could have been so much worse," he said.