10/11/2010

Fourth Arrest In North's Pipe Bomb Probe

Another man has been arrested by police officers investigating a number of pipe bomb attacks in west Belfast last week.

A PSNI statement this afternoon said that the 37-year-old was detained in south Belfast on Wednesday morning. This follows the arrest of three other men who were held after searches in the same area a day earlier - on Tuesday.

The PSNI raids came on foot of two pipe bomb attacks with devices planted in the west of the city at the start of last week.

A private house in St James Park was the target on Monday evening, and although it detonated while a woman and four-year-old child were at the property, no one was injured.

Another, found later on the same evening at nearby La Salle Park, was made safe by Army Bomb Squad officers.

Speaking soon after the attacks, a Sinn Fein councillor for West Belfast, Briege Brownlee called on those behind the incident to "consider their actions".

"These were viable and dangerous devices. The first pipe bomb went off around 8pm and was attached to a gallon drum of petrol. The second, which was discovered only minutes later, was outside the home of another resident and is of a similar design," she said.

"Those responsible for the leaving of these pipe bombs must seriously consider their actions.

"They need now to come forward and explain what warped logic they had for these actions," she said.

Last week saw several such terror incidents in Belfast taking place with an apparently unconnected alert leading to the recovery of what police said was a 'viable device' - thought to be a pipe bomb - close to the well known loyalist pub, the Alexandra Bar on north Belfast's York Road.

See: Pipe Bomb Removed As City Alerts Continue

(BMcC/GK)

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