SF Demands Disclosure Over Loyalist Blast Bombs

A leading Sinn Féin politician has insisted that more information should be made available after four explosive devices - believed to be blast bombs - were discovered by the police in south Belfast. The alert first began when a suspicious object was reported on Tuesday evening.

It was near a BMX cycle track off the Donegall Road and, following further searches on Wednesday, the four blast bombs were found in the Bentham Drive area.

Army technical officers (ATOs) were called in to deal with the devices.

A police spokesperson later said the devices had been removed for further examination.

During the alert, rail services were disrupted for a time.

It has now emerged that the PSNI's view is that loyalist paramilitaries were responsible for the devices.

Police have not said which loyalist group they thought was responsible, but have condemned those who left the devices near and said they were near where children could be playing.

They have also appealed to the public for information.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin MLA for South Belfast and NI Policing Board member, Alex Maskey, (pictured addressing a Policing Board meeting) has insisted that the PSNI need to state "very clearly" who is behind the manufacturing and use of the pipe bombs that were found beside a play park in south Belfast today.

He said this is the latest in a series of bomb discoveries over the past weeks.

"This finding of these pipe bombs in South Belfast beside a playground is a matter of serious of concern.

"This is not the first find of pipe bombs in this area or indeed loyalist areas in general over the past weeks," he continued.

"Only last week several pipe bombs and ammunition were found in a house in Newtownabbey and I have raised the issue of the use of such devices at the Policing Board after a pipe bomb was put thought the letter box of a Romanian living in south Belfast," he said, insisting that the PSNI need to "inform the public very clearly, who exactly are behind the manufacturing and use of these devices" and if is there a pattern behind any attacks or bomb finds.

(BMcC)