Irish Republican News · August 3, 2004

Pipe-bomb attack linked to march tension

A pipe bomb left outside a Catholic home on the Ligoniel Road caused a major security alert in north Belfast today. The device, described as ‘viable’ by the PSNI, was defused.

The police say it was a viable pipebomb type device. Army bomb experts attended the scene and made the device safe.

The Ligoniel Road has now been re-opened to traffic. Sinn Féin has blamed loyalists for the attack.

Sinn Féin Councillor Eoin O’Broin said the home in question had suffered in the past from ongoing attacks from unionist paramilitaries.

“I am in no doubt that this latest incident is a further escalation of an ongoing campaign against nationalists in this area.

“Previous to the Twelfth parades this small nationalist community was blockaded into their homes by a UDA led picket which took place every night for a week. No action was taken to stop it.

“It is therefore not surprising that as we face into another series of contentious parades in North Belfast that the allies of the loyal Orders within the unionist paramilitaries will once again attempt to use violence in order to influence parades determinations.”

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