A car explosion outside a police station on the outskirts of Belfast shows "murderous intent and capability" still exists within paramilitaries in Northern Ireland, as police say they believe the New IRA are involved.
PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said the car that exploded outside Dunmurry police station had been "hijacked" in a way that bore similarities to the attack on Lurgan police station in March.
The vehicle was hijacked shortly after 10.50pm on Saturday in the Twinbrook area of west Belfast and a gas cylinder device was placed in the boot.
A male delivery driver was then ordered to drive the car to Dunmurry police station in the Kingsway area and abandon it outside, which caused police to activate the station's attack alarm.
No one was harmed in the explosion despite the evacuation of residents, including two babies, being under way.
The incident has been roundly condemned by Northern Ireland's political leaders, with First Minister Michelle O'Neill saying those behind the attack "speak for absolutely no one" and DUP leader Gavin Robinson saying police and the public "should never have to face this kind of danger".
In a press conference at PSNI headquarters in Belfast on Sunday, Mr Singleton said officers "immediately and courageously ran into danger, placing themselves in harm's way, and evacuated nearby homes to protect the community".
"A number of residents, including two babies, were being taken to safety by officers when the device exploded, engulfing the vehicle in flames and sending debris in all directions," he said.
"What this type of device may have lacked in terms of its sophistication and scale, it more than made up for in its reckless unpredictability.
"Thanks to the swift actions of police, no-one has been injured, which is nothing short of miraculous."
Last month, a delivery driver was forced at gunpoint to transport a device that failed to explode to Lurgan police station in an incident blamed on dissident republicans.
Mr Singleton said there are "very many similarities between the two incidents".
"As a consequence of that, our early working hypothesis is that this may well be the work of the New IRA, who claimed responsibility for the attack in Lurgan," he said.
The officer was also asked if the terror threat level should be reassessed in the wake of the two attacks.
The threat level in Northern Ireland is currently deemed substantial, meaning an attack is likely, with the next highest level being severe to indicate an attack is highly likely.
Mr Singleton said the incident on Saturday shows that "murderous intent and capability" still exists and is "regularly deployed" against PSNI officers.
"The threat is substantial by virtue of that it was already clear that the threat was real and it was credible," he said.
"Obviously the device in Lurgan hadn't functioned, but I think we can see that that was probably through good fortune more than anything else.
"Obviously last night reminds us of the murderous intent and capability that still exists and is regularly deployed against our officers, so it's vital that we remain vigilant in order to keep not only ourselves safe but also the wider community."
Mr Singleton also said "there was absolutely no warning" about the attack, and explosives of the type used in Dunmurry "can be extremely volatile".
"The scale and complexity of the device may not have been as big as we've seen in the past.
"What it lacked in that definitely was made up for in terms of its recklessness, in terms of the construction - you know, it engulfed the vehicle in flames and spread debris over a significant distance, so that in and of itself tells you just how dangerous it is," he said.
The PSNI's terrorism investigation unit has launched an attempted murder investigation.
Northern Ireland Policing Board chairman Brendan Mullan said the device "was sent to kill officers and cause maximum harm in an attack which was in the heart of a residential area".
"This is the second incident at a police station in recent weeks which is depressing. The people have spoken when they overwhelmingly endorsed the Good Friday Agreement," he said.
"Such acts of violence have no place in a society committed to peace. We stand united in condemnation of those responsible for this terror, and in voicing support for the work of the officers and staff of the PSNI."
Liam Kelly, chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, said the attack "caused great upset and generated widespread and justifiable revulsion".
"If you want the definition of madness, then this is no finer example of that," he said.
"This doesn't move the needle towards any particular goal. All it does is show that there are still people who want to murder my colleagues and deliver pain and suffering in our communities.
"These faceless cowards are a throwback to the dark ages of the Troubles. They have no place in the society we are all striving to build - a society free from thuggery and terrorism."