Roads reopen after Wattlebridge security alert ends

Police north of the border spent the last week assessing the security situation at Wattlebridge following an incident first reported on Wednesday, January 13.

The security alert at the Wattlebridge Road area on the Cavan-Fermanagh border has now concluded after a suspicious device found was declared an elaborate hoax.

Police north of the border spent the last week assessing the security situation at Wattlebridge following an incident first reported on Wednesday, January 13.

The route was once again closed to traffic less than a week later, on Monday, January 18, when PSNI began another sweep of the area.

This was prompted by claim that dissidents had also fired shots at a police helicopter in the area in an alleged ambush attempt on Thursday, January 14.

It also included information regarding the location of an alleged explosive device placed at a bus shelter.

The CIRA boasted that the weapon used to shoot at the helicopter was “a high powered Dragunov Russian assault rifle”.

They added that if officers were to go to the “Drumcrin Road they will find the spent bullet casings from the attack on a layby.”

The security incident saw diversions put in place for traffic at the junction of High Street / Main Street/ Drumcru Road and Wattlebridge Road Newtownbutler; at the junction of the Wattlebridge Road and Landbrock Road; the junction of the Drumgramph Road and Cavan Road; and the Cavan Road 200 meters on the Cavan side of the Wattlebridge Road, near Leggykelly.

Following the lifting of the alert this evening, South Area Commander of the PSNI, Chief Superintendent Andy Freeburn said: “I can confirm that the security alert has now ended and all roads have reopened. I would like to thank the local community for their patience and support.”

He added that the week-long security alert was a “challenging and complex operation”, which was made all the more difficult by the weather conditions.

He continued by thanking officers, including colleagues in An Garda Síochána and army bomb disposal experts for their assistance and expertise.

“A device left at a bus shelter has been declared a hoax. Four rounds of ammunition have also been recovered. They have now been taken away for forensic examination,” said Chief Supt Freeburn.

He added: “At this stage, it is too early to determine if any weapons were fired, as has been claimed.

“No community should have to live under the threat of such violence and we will now focus upon our investigation,” said the police officer before asking that anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area from January 13 to get in contact.