Police and politicians say Irish Republican Army dissidents have shot a Northern Ireland man in both legs in a so-called "punishment" attack, and police who responded were attacked with bricks, bottles and other makeshift weapons.

One police officers was hospitalised with a head wound.

Police say a masked gang shot the 23-year-old man on Wednesday night in both legs in Londonderry, a traditional IRA power base, maiming him but not fatally.

IRA dissidents use crippling gunshots to opponents' limbs to discourage Catholics from cooperating with the police force.

On Tuesday, dissidents planted a suspected car bomb in the border town of Newry. A 24-hour evacuation ended Wednesday night when British army experts declared it a hoax. - Sapa-AP