Published Sunday, 09 September 2012
Police attended on Saturday. (© UTV)
Officers were called to the Aileach Road on Saturday afternoon following the discovery of a suspicious object.
A controlled explosion was carried out at the alert was declared to be a hoax.
The security forces came under attack with a petrol bomb, stones and bottles at the scene - no injuries have been reported.
Mark H Durkan, who witnessed the incident, condemned those behind it.
The Foyle MLA said he believes the police were lured into the area to be ambushed.
"Given that officers have been attacked with petrol bombs and other missiles while attempting to do their job in relation to this alert, I have no other option but to assume that this object was planted with a view to luring police into an ambush-style attack," he said.
"Anyone behind either the alert or the attacks is no friend of this community and must face the full weight of the justice system given not only the basic criminality of their actions but also the huge financial and logistical cost to the security forces."
Anyone with information has been asked to come forward.