Police have condemned “anti-peace” dissident republicans after an improvised bomb was found under a serving officer’s car in east Belfast.

A tournament being held at the Shandon Park Golf Club was cancelled when the device was found on Saturday afternoon and at least 70 people at the club were evacuated.

Army experts were called to the scene and, following examination, declared the device viable.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Detective Superintendent Sean Wright said: “Our belief is that this attempted murder was carried out by violent dissident republicans.

“They don’t care who they attack, they don’t care who they kill. They are simply anti-peace and anti-democracy.”

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Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Heavilly armed police guard a crime scene during unrest in the Creggan area of Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. See PA story . Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Hijacked vehicles on fire in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots hijacked vehicles one fire in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A hijacked car explodes after being set on fire in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A PSNI officer conducts a search after shots where reportedly fired in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene of unrest in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Police conduct a crime scene search after shots where fired in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Niall Carson PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive the following day PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, following the death of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee who was shot and killed when guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident". PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Brian Lawless PA

The golf course is situated near the headquarters of the PSNI. Club member Alan Paterson said an individual leaving the course noticed something under a car, before the security services were immediately informed.

Mr Paterson said: “Within several minutes the police arrived and identified the object and said that they felt it was viable and that they should immediately evacuate the clubhouse and surrounding area, and also get everybody else off the golf course. It is very disappointing that things have been disrupted.”

Dissident republicans opposed to the peace process and posing a threat to the security forces have used similar methods in the past.

Police and army bomb disposal experts at Shandon Park Golf Club in east Belfast (PA)

A robot was used to investigate the suspect device in the busy car park, packed with the vehicles of golfers attending a vice-captain’s day tournament.

It is understood the car park area is covered by CCTV and footage will be scrutinised by detectives.

Mr Wright, who leads the Terrorism Investigation Unit, said: “It is very fortunate that this device was detected before it exploded and that no-one was killed or seriously injured.

“It was clearly intended to kill the police officer. In placing such a device, terrorists have also put the officer’s family, neighbours and members of the public at serious risk,” he said.

“Attacks on police officers are attacks on the entire community and they are an attack on our democracy. Anyone who places an explosive device under a car in a built-up area cares little about our communities. Their reckless violence cannot be allowed to continue.”

Mr Wright appealed for anyone with information to contact police.

Mark Lindsay, chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland and PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton also condemned the attack.