Dissidents blamed for west Belfast devices

British Army bomb experts defused a device outside the outside the Community Restorative Justice office in west Belfast today.

They were called in to deal with the device early this morning following a warning outside the Andersonstown office.

The area was sealed off during the operation and families were evacuated while a controlled explosion was carried out on the device.

Community Restorative Justice is a scheme strongly supported by Sinn Féin as an alternative to the British-ruled police and court system in the North. It is not clear who carried out the attack, but dissident republicans are suspected.

Sinn Féin Assembly member for West Belfast Michael Ferguson hit out at those responsible.

He said: “At this stage we are not yet sure of the motives of those behind this attack.

“However, what I can say is that people locally are angry at this incident. Community Restorative Justice provides a crucial mediation role within this community and this attack is being viewed as an attack on the wider community in this part of West Belfast.”

Meanwhile, a hoax bomb attack was carried out on the office of west Belfast assembly member Alex Attwood.

A non-viable device was placed outside Mr Attwood’s Andersonstown Road constituency office shortly after 7am yesterday.

It is the second time in 10 days that the Policing Board member’s office has been targeted in a hoax alert. Republican hardliners are believed to have carried out that attack.

Michael Ferguson said the attack served “absolutely no purpose, is wrong and must stop.

“It has caused massive traffic disruption and inconvenience for local people.”

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