BY MARK McKELVEY

A CAR that was stolen in the Gortin Road area of Omagh may have been used for scouting purposes by the dissidents that carried out the car bomb attack on a Catholic policeman last week.

Police discovered the metallic grey Renault Megane (new model) in the vicinity of where the attack in Spamount took place and was examined by army technical officers before being seized by police.

stolen

The car was reported stolen by Anthony Toye (47) from his Gortwell home on the night of Sunday May 11, which was only 24 hours before the attack in Spamount.

Anthony told the UH that he was then told by inspecting officers that a controlled explosion may have been carried out on the car and taken to Dungannon police station. However, a week later Anthony says he has been given no information of where his car is or in what condition it is in.

Anthony explained the situation, "I was told by the policeman who I reported the incident to that my car had been found in the Castlederg area and implied that a controlled explosion had been carried out on it, but I am yet to receive any confirmation of that.

"My insurance company are asking lots of questions that I can't answer because I am being told nothing. I don't have any idea what state the car is in.

"I was told the police are treating the car as suspicious because it was found in the area of where the bomb had went off last week, telling me my car may have been involved in the scouting of this attack.

"I am not sure where the car is as I have contacted the sergeant in Dungannon but he says there is no car there that he is aware of. I am being left in the dark. All I am asking for is for the police to let me know what is going on as it is over a week later and I have been left without a car."

Responding to this, a police spokesperson confirmed that the army bomb disposal team did examine the car, but did not say whether or not a controlled explosion had been carried out on it.

They said, "The car was stolen and located in the Castlederg area. When something like last Monday night happens, we look for any unusual activity such as this, so proceeded to check the car out.

"The inquiry team will be in touch with Mr Toye shortly."