01/07/2004

Bomb alerts end in Belfast

A series of bomb alerts, which brought Belfast rush hour traffic to a standstill on Thursday morning, have been declared hoaxes.

The alerts left thousands of commuters stranded when a section of dual carriageway on the Westlink between Broadway roundabout and the Grosvenor Road was cordoned off and Middlepath Street in the east of the city was closed.

Diversions at the Westlink also meant railway services were cancelled between Dunmurry and Lisburn. Congestion was also caused to the Falls Road and Donegall Road area of the city.

In east Belfast traffic was diverted towards the Odyssey along the Sydenham Road while the area in and around Middlepath Street was checked out.

No-one claimed responsibility for today's hoaxes however dissident republicans are suspected.

(MB)

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