A DISSIDENT Irish republican who posed as a model to lure a man from England into aiding her terror campaign has been jailed for 16 years.
Christine Connor, 31, used a fake social media profile to recruit Englishman Stuart Downes to her cause.
Using a fictitious name and a picture of Swedish model Sanne Alexandra Andersson, Connor persuaded Downes to purchase explosives and ship them to Belfast.
Mr Downes, 31, took his own life before he could stand trial.
Christine Connor also enticed an American man, Zachary Gevelinger, police said. Mr Gevelinger also took his own life.
Connor twice attacked police in Belfast in 2013 with homemade bombs after making fake 999 calls pretending she was a victim of domestic violence.
As well as the attempted murder of a policeman, Connor was convicted of two counts of possessing explosives with intent to endanger life, two counts of causing an explosion likely to endanger life and one charge of preparing for terrorist acts.
Scroll down to hear Connor's fake 999 call
She attacked responding police officers with improvised explosive devices, which exploded on both occasions.
On the first occasion, her IEDs exploded but no one was injured.
On the second occasion, the shrapnel from her devices traveled up to 35 metres and was found lodged in nearby homes. One officer was injured.
The police officer who was injured in the attack is the father of two young children – his baby boy was only three months old at the time.
“I heard a noise behind me – which was the device landing at my heel,” he said.
Stuart Downes from Shrewsbury took his life before his trial. Picture: West Mercia Police“My adrenalin kicked in and I started running away but tripped and fell just as the first device exploded," the officer added.
"I saw someone coming towards me and a second device hitting the ground near me. I got up and ran into an alleyway just as this device exploded.
“I feel very lucky to be alive and I have no doubt that if I wasn’t able to run away from the devices being thrown I would not be here today.”
In a recording of one of her 999 calls, Connor can be heard telling the call handler: "I need the police. My boyfriend's just come home and he's smashing up the house and I don't know what to do.”
A claim of responsibility for the attack on May 28, 2013 made from a Public Call Box in the Shrewsbury area of west England formed a major part of the police investigation.
Police believe the claim of responsibility was made by the late Mr Downes, who Judge McFarland described him as a "pitiful, troubled and vulnerable young man.”
The police investigation was a joint effort between the PSNI, West Mercia Police and West Midlands Police.
Detective Superintendent Campbell concluded: “Today’s outcome is the result of excellent joint working between the PSNI and West Mercia Police alongside the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit.
“A vast amount of evidence has been obtained from the examination of mobile telephones, computers, media devices and on line networking sites which evidenced the conspiracy between Christine Connor and Stuart Downes.
“Working together, we have disrupted the activity of a dangerous individual and put her behind bars.”
Christine Connor's 999 call can be heard below...
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