News

Under-car booby-trap bomb found in Belfast 'designed to kill'

Booby-trap bomb found in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell
Booby-trap bomb found in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell Booby-trap bomb found in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell

AN under-car booby-trap bomb found in a quiet north Belfast street "was designed to kill or maim", police said on Thursday night.

Homes were evacuated for several hours after the bomb was discovered in Linden Gardens, off Cliftonville Road, at about 12.30pm on Thursday.

British army bomb experts carried out a controlled explosion on the bomb on Thursday evening.

Late on Thursday night people were allowed to return to their homes.

The booby trap was discovered close to several family homes, schools and shops. It was found less than half a mile from Antrim Road PSNI station.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Campbell said police are investigating the discovery.

"At this stage police believe that this could have been an under-car booby trap which was designed to kill or maim," he said.

He added: "I utterly condemn this incident. Those responsible have no qualms about putting people's lives at risk and causing disruption to the community."

"There is no doubt that this device had the potential to cause serious injury or death," he said.

He appealed for information.

SDLP councillor Nichola Mallon said those behind the bomb had "complete disregard" for the lives and safety of local people.

"There is immense anger in the local community at people forced out of their homes and the disruption caused to the area," he said.

"People had consigned this kind of experience to the past, but now they are being forced to live through it again. It's totally unacceptable."

Earlier, before the device was confirmed as viable, Sinn Féin councillor Mary Clarke condemned those responsible.

"This is a quiet residential area close to local schools and shops," she said.

"Regardless of whether this does prove to be a viable device, those responsible must be condemned in the strongest possible terms."

Dissidents have killed and maimed PSNI officers with booby-trap bombs.

Catholic Constable Ronan Kerr (25), was killed in 2011 when a booby trap exploded under his car in Omagh, Co Tyrone.

The previous year, constable Peadar Heffron lost a leg when a bomb exploded under his car as he made his way to work at Woodbourne police station in west Belfast. The attack was claimed by dissident group Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH).

In March 2014 an under-car bomb was discovered on Blacks Road just minutes from Woodbourne station.

It may have fallen off the car of an officer serving at the station.

In November 2013, ONH planted a booby trap under the car of a former police officer in the Kingsway Park area of east Belfast.

The man had been preparing to take his 12-year-old daughter to school when he spotted the device.

In June, the 'IRA' planted a booby trap under a police officer's car at Glenrandel in Eglinton, Co Derry.

It was found under a car parked at the home of an officer and his wife, who is also a member of the PSNI.