This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-northern-ireland-16589352
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Dissidents linked to pipe bomb found near west Belfast school | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Police have said dissident republicans are suspected of planting a pipe bomb which was found close to a school in west Belfast. | |
| St Teresa's Primary School was closed and a number of homes were evacuated after the device was found early on Tuesday morning. | St Teresa's Primary School was closed and a number of homes were evacuated after the device was found early on Tuesday morning. |
| It was discovered on the Glen Road while emergency services dealt with a fire at a shop in the area. | |
| Ch Supt Mark Hamilton said the device had the capacity to "maim or kill". | Ch Supt Mark Hamilton said the device had the capacity to "maim or kill". |
| He said it was thanks to the "close observations" of a police officer that the pipe bomb had been found and that the "finger of suspicion" pointed towards dissident republicans. | |
| "At around 03:00 GMT police and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended a report of a fire at business premises at the Glen Road area," he said. | "At around 03:00 GMT police and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended a report of a fire at business premises at the Glen Road area," he said. |
| "After re-examining the scene, police discovered a suspicious object in the area. | "After re-examining the scene, police discovered a suspicious object in the area. |
| "The device has been taken away for further examination but we can confirm that it was a viable pipe bomb which had the capacity to kill or maim. | |
| "I have talked to the army bomb squad and this could have had horrendous consequences if someone had picked it up." | |
| Mr Hamilton said it was "particularly chilling" given the fact that a primary school was so close to the scene. | Mr Hamilton said it was "particularly chilling" given the fact that a primary school was so close to the scene. |
| "This is a residential area and we could have been looking at serious tragedy here," he said. | "This is a residential area and we could have been looking at serious tragedy here," he said. |
| "There is absolutely no doubt that this device was intended to murder and we would ask anyone with any information in relation to this incident to come forward and tell us what they know about this." | "There is absolutely no doubt that this device was intended to murder and we would ask anyone with any information in relation to this incident to come forward and tell us what they know about this." |
| Police thanked local residents for their patience while the army dealt with the device. | Police thanked local residents for their patience while the army dealt with the device. |
| They said they would make every effort to get residents back into their homes as soon as possible. | They said they would make every effort to get residents back into their homes as soon as possible. |