Republican dissidents opposed to the peace process used a bogus 999 call to try to kill members of the security forces in south Belfast early on Tuesday.

The dissidents used a mobile phone call to claim a woman was in distress in the area as a means to lure police officers and soldiers to the scene where a bomb had been planted.

The tactic was the same as that deployed by the Continuity IRA in March 2009 when a telephone call was made to police in Craigavon claiming that a house on a private housing estate had been burgled. When a police patrol arrived at the cul-de-sac, a CIRA sniper shot dead Constable Stephen Carroll – the first member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to be killed by paramilitaries.

Police said Tuesday's bomb put at risk the lives of joggers and schoolchildren who pass by the Annadale Embankment close to the river Lagan.

Army bomb disposal officers were called to Annadale Embankment at around 1.30am on Tuesday and a police helicopter was launched. The bomb was understood to have been an improvised explosive device which could only have been set off if tampered with or trodden upon.

It was discovered after police became suspicious about the 999 call so decided to close the area off. They later called in the army bomb squad, who defused the explosive.

The SDLP deputy leader, Alasdair McDonnell, who is the nationalist MP for the area where the bomb was discovered, described those behind the plot as "pure evil". He added: "This has incited fear within our community and has disrupted the lives of hundreds of innocent people. Whatever the motivations of the perpetrators are, there is absolutely no justification for this attack."

At a police press conference several hours after the bomb was discovered, Superintendent Chris Noble said the incident had been a "clear attempt to murder officers". Noble pointed out that the spot is popular with early morning joggers and schoolchildren who often use the route.

Brian Rea, chairman of Northern Ireland's Policing Board, claimed those who left the bomb had placed civilians as well as the security forces in danger.

"Whilst it is believed the target was police, given the location, this could easily have been detonated by a member of the public passing through. With the people responsible for leaving this and other devices showing complete recklessness, there is a need for community vigilance and support for police at this time," Rea said.

The viable explosive device had been attached to a stile at the top of a path leading to the Lagan river.

Police said a significant number of officers responded to the bogus call. They said the bomb was small but could have been lethal.

The area was cordoned off for several hours on Tuesday while police carried out searches for additional devices. No homes were evacuated.

This latest incident marks a geographic shift in dissident republican activity in Belfast. Until now the bulk of attempted bombings against the security forces have been concentrated in the north of the city where the Óglaigh na hÉireann group has a number of cells.

Two weeks ago a Catholic police officer, Ronan Kerr, 25, was killed when a bomb exploded under his car in Omagh. Dissident republicans linked to the Real IRA have been blamed for his murder.

Despite outrage throughout Ireland over Kerr's murder, the security forces are bracing themselves for a spike in dissident republican violence over the next few months. Armed republican groups have in the past intensified their attacks in the runup to the commemorations of the 1916 Easter Rising. But the violence is expected to be kept up as the Real IRA, Continuity IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann – the three republican organisations opposed to the peace process – seek to destabilise the north of Ireland during the Stormont assembly election campaign.

Security forces on both sides of the border are preparing for terror attacks in the runup to the Queen's three-day visit to the Irish Republic on 17 May.