Bomb alert chaos across NI
Those behind a series of bomb alerts across Northern Ireland have been slammed for causing major disruption in Derry, Belfast and Newry.
In Belfast, rail services have been disrupted between Central Station and Great Victoria Street Station where a security alert is still ongoing.
But an incident at the city’s Forestside shopping centre, which was searched by police following a telephone bomb warning, has now ended.
A security alert at Malone Road is also over after a suspicious object was examined and declared a deliberate hoax.
Ladybrook Park in the Finaghy Road North area was sealed off for a time following a bus hijacking incident.
Two masked men boarded the bus and threatened the driver, before leaving a suspicious object on board.
Other alerts in areas including Sandyknowles, Fortwilliam, and Wandsworth Road have been declared hoaxes.
The M2 was also closed for a time northbound at Greencastle and southbound at Templepatrick, but has since reopened.
SDLP South Belfast MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell said those responsible have no respect or regard for the community.
“Whatever cause those responsible think they are serving, they need to know that their methods today are resented and rejected by the people of this city,” he said.
East Belfast Alliance MLA Naomi Long said: “Those who caused these alerts are intent on causing maximum disruption – however all they are doing is making people even more determined to move forward away from Northern Ireland’s sad and violent past.”
In Ballymena, a shopping centre on Wellington Street was at the centre of another alert which has now ended.
Nothing untoward was found.
Trains
In Newry, train services have been disrupted following a telephone bomb warning.
Police discovered a suspicious object close to the railway line between Killeen and Meigh.
Translink has been forced to cancel special trains which were due to be provided for rugby fans travelling to the Ireland match in Dublin against Scotland on Saturday.
A company spokesman said: “It is unlikely that normal services will have resumed before tomorrow’s international rugby match in Dublin between Ireland and Scotland.
“We apologise for the disruption.”
In Londonderry, army bomb experts have carried out controlled explosions on two hijacked vans abandoned at separate locations, after the Real IRA claimed they had left a number of devices across the city.
A police station was evacuated, a college closed and a number of roads blocked after the Real IRA claimed it had planted two bombs in the vehicles.
One of the vans was left outside Bishop St courthouse and the other outside Strand Road PSNI station.
A number of businesses and homes were evacuated and motorists were asked to avoid the areas affected.
The Northwest Regional College also said its Northland Road and Strand Road sites would be closed and advised students not to attend classes.
Both incidents have now been declared hoaxes and the areas reopened.
Further police operations were carried out at Craigavon Bridge and at Madams Bank Road.
According to a police spokeswoman, nothing untoward was found and both areas have been reopened.
