Image caption David Ford said good policing had prevented the loss of life

Justice Minister David Ford has said a bomb attack in County Armagh was a "cynical" bid to lure police into a trap.

Homes were evacuated in Lurgan on Saturday after officers responded to a call reporting an unexploded device - but, as they searched, a bomb exploded.

Police believe the initial call was designed to lure officers to the area.

They said it was "absolutely designed to kill".

"It was clearly cynical and only prevented by good professional policing," Mr Ford said.

"The police have a duty to respond to such incidents, but they also have a duty to respond with caution, to not put at risk their own lives and those of other people in the area and that is clearly what happened on this occasion.

"Very good policing prevented the loss of life."

Mr Ford also condemned a paramilitary display at the funeral of veteran republican Peggy O'Hara on Saturday and reports that shots were fired over her coffin on Wednesday.

"It is clearly criminal activity, the firing of shots, there are questions now to be folllowed up by the police in terms of their investigation and how they deal with that criminal activity," he said.

On Sunday, Supt David Moore said it "may well have been the case" that the bomb in Lurgan was detonated by people watching from a distance.

He said it would probably have been "much larger" than a pipe bomb and was "obviously designed to take out officers on foot".

"It's more than likely at this stage that this was an anti-personnel device," Supt Moore said.

"It bears all the hallmarks of violent dissident republican terrorists."

He said the area where the device exploded is "frequented by both younger children at play and older children sometimes guilty of creating something of a nuisance".

He said, as a result, it would be an area often patrolled by the police.

Second device

The security alert began following a call to a charity. The caller said a device had been fired at a police patrol, but had failed to explode.

Officers found a suspicious object and evacuated families from homes in Victoria Street.

However, while police officers were searching the area a second device went off. The explosion happened between 16:00 and 17:00 BST.

Police said on Sunday that the devices they recovered "appeared to have been planted" and they did not believe any device was fired at them.

Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Police said the attack bore all the hallmarks of violent dissident republicans

Image caption A police helicopter was used in the security operation in Lurgan

Image caption Families left their homes as a police cordon was set up

Image caption The alert began following a call to a charity, during which the caller said a device had been fired at a police patrol but had failed to explode. Police said the devices that were found appeared to have been planted.

Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Families were moved from their homes in Victoria Street in Lurgan

Police officers were also attacked with petrol bombs and bricks during the security alert.

'Pointless actions'

Mr Ford said whoever was behind the attack "had a clear intention to kill police officers".

"They showed absolutely no regard for local residents, who could have been killed or injured," he said.