Other NI News In Brief

Third Antrim Bomb

A third device has now been recovered in Antrim. It partially exploded at a house in the Birch Hill Park area and caused scorch damage to a window. It came after searches had earlier uncovered a pipe bomb (such as that pictured) on the windowsill of house in the Beechfield area of the town. The first device was found on the windowsill of a house at Fir Grove Lane on Wednesday.

Closures Follow Safety Probe

It has emerged that two restaurants have been ordered to close by officials inspecting gas appliances around the area where two teenage friends died from carbon monoxide poisoning. The owners of the premises in Portstewart, Co Londonderry, and Rasharkin, Co Antrim, were shut by inspectors who are questioning the gas fitter who installed a heater suspected of killing 18-year-old school pals Aaron Davidson and Neil McFerran in the nearby town of Castlerock. On Wednesday, the Ice House Restaurant in Portstewart and the Village Caff, Rasharkin, were closed so they could be examined by Health and Safety Executive staff, although the Ice House opened again on Thursday. Also yesterday, it was revealed that the probe into the deaths of two teenagers is now officially a criminal investigation.

Bollards On Way

The PSNI are to place security bollards outside a Belfast city centre police station after a major explosion outside the Strand Road police station in Londonderry last week. It emerged yesterday that they have applied for planning permission to put the bollards on Victoria Street at the side of the Musgrave Street facility.

Bus Stop Worries

Jobs are in jeopardy at NI transport company, Translink as the company said it is to reorganise its bus engineering division in Belfast. The firm said it was consulting with trade union officials about the plan that would see about 70 staff involved "offered a combination of redeployment opportunities and a voluntary redundancy scheme".

Dissent Over Talks Claim

Although it has been claimed that the British Government has talked to dissident republicans in recent weeks, this revelation follows the NI Secretary of State Owen Paterson denying that the government wanted discussions with dissidents. Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness has told the BBC Talkback programme that the Irish government had also been meeting with dissidents for years. "They may well deny that, that doesn't concern me in the least. I know it's happening," he said. On Thursday, a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin said "it has never been our practice to speak to these people".

Farm Terror Search

There were fears yesterday of a failed bomb attack on a former part-time police officer. The PSNI have searched a farm in Sixmilecross, Co Tyrone, over fears a bomb may have been attached to a magnet that had been found under a tractor. The magnet was found when the farmer, a former member of the security forces, left his tractor in for servicing. Police retraced the route the tractor had taken over the weekend - searching fields and roads - but found nothing. Booby-trap bombs have been found under the vehicles of three security force members in the last week.

Rasharkin Ruling

The NI Parades Commission has restricted an annual band competition in Rasharkin to just one street. The event, to be hosted by the Ballymaconnelly Sons of Conquerors Flute Band next Friday, faced protests in the last two years. Amid heavy security last year, bottles, golf balls and other items were thrown at the bands as they passed. Yesterday the Parades Commission ruled that the event, which is in its 30th year, can only proceed to the junction of Main Street and Bridge Street.

(BMcC/GK)