A VIABLE pipe bomb found outside a house in west Belfast has been made safe.
Police were called after a suspicious object was found at the house in Andersonstown Crescent at around 12.30am on Tuesday.
Several homes were evacuated and roads were closed for a few hours while British army bomb disposal experts examined the object.
Police later said the object was a viable pipe bomb. Evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes just before 3.30am.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact police.
Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey said the alert had caused great inconvenience to residents.
"Incidents like this serve no purpose other than bringing disruption to the community and need to stop immediately," he said.
SDLP councillor Tim Attwood said those who planted the device had "no regard" for people living in the area.
"The community in West Belfast continues to reject those intent on dragging us back to the violence of the past," he said.
"I would encourage anyone with information to bring it to the police."
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said it was fortunate no one had been injured.
"There is no place on our streets for guns or deadly weapons of this nature," he said.
