Two men have been arrested in connection with the attempted murder of a police officer in Northern Ireland. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said a man, 36, was arrested in the Lettershandoney area in County Derry and another, 26, was taken into custody in the Creggan area. Detectives from the PSNI’s terrorism investigations unit carried out the arrests on Friday. Dissident republicans opposed to the peace process are suspected of involvement after a bomb was placed beside the part-time officer’s car at her home in Dungiven, County Londonderry, on Monday. The device, described as being designed to create a fireball, was left beside where the officer’s three-year-old daughter sits in the car. DS Richard Campbell, the head of the terrorism investigation unit, said detectives “arrested two men under the Terrorism Act in Derry/Londonderry in connection with the viable device, which was discovered beside the young mother’s car in Ballyquin Road, Dungiven, on Monday April 19”. The men were taken to Musgrave serious crime suite, where they were being questioned by detectives. Meanwhile, police have launched an information portal as part of their investigation into the incident. Campbell said police were aware that a claim of responsibility had been made on behalf of the New IRA, adding that it was a “strong line of inquiry”. He added: “We are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the viable device which was discovered beside the young mother’s car in Ballyquin Road, Dungiven, on Monday. “The device, which had explosives attached to a container with flammable liquid, was designed to cause a fireball that would have engulfed the victim’s car and anyone in it or anyone close by, or those calling to the house. “What is really distressing is the terrorists placed the bomb at the rear of the car, directly at the point where the victim’s three-year-old daughter sits. It demonstrates the complete and utter disregard those who planted it had for the life of a mother and her very young daughter. “This was a cowardly and despicable act carried out by desperate people. They deserve no support from any part of our community. “I appeal to anyone who has any knowledge of this attack, or indeed of anyone involved in dissident republican or other violent or terrorist activity, to come forward and provide any information they have to the police.”