Couple injured by bomb at derelict house

THE IRA said it planted a bomb that injured a man and a woman thought to have been out checking sheep yesterday evening. The couple suffered facial injuries in the explosion in a largely republican area of rural Co Tyrone and a number of sheep were killed, writes David McKittrick.

The IRA said the Army had had the bomb under surveillance and that it had gone off as an attempt was made to defuse or tamper with it. It claimed there had been military casualties, though the RUC said none of its men or troops were in the area at the time.

The blast destroyed a derelict house near the town of Dungannon at around 5pm, damaging a car and trailer nearby. The explosion was heard in towns more than 10 miles away from the scene, between the villages of Galbally and Cappagh. The couple were described as being in a stable condition.