29/10/2002

Bomb alerts hit Belfast shoppers and city traffic

A number of bomb hoaxes across Belfast on Tuesday October 29 were being blamed on dissident republicans.

Shoppers and staff were moved out of the Castlecourt Mall in Belfast city centre and the Forestside Shopping centre in south Belfast for a time this morning following bomb warnings.

Security forces sealed off the areas around both shopping centres as these were searched and later declared clear.

Earlier this morning rush hour traffic was disrupted as security operations were mounted at Glengall Street and the Grosvenor Road area and at Laganside Magistrate's Court in Oxford Street, Belfast.

However, both these locations were also reopened a short time later when security forces declared the alerts to be hoaxes.

A police spokesperson said that telephone bomb warnings had been received from dissident republicans.

(SP)

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