Belfast Security Alert 'Latest Incident'

While no one was hurt in an overnight gun attack on a house in west Belfast, a suspect object is this morning being examined by Army bomb experts in south Belfast.

The object was found in the garden of a house in Friendly Street in the Markets area on Thursday morning with the area closed off as a result of the alert, which started at about 9am.

The news comes after gunmen targeted a family home in the Amcomri Street area of Ballymurphy at around 7.30pm on Wednesday and at least three shots were fired at the front door, as well as strike marks being found on a living room wall indoors.

The PSNI said three men, one wearing a balaclava, were seen in the area and that a motive for the attack has not been established.

Police have appealed for anyone with more information to come forward.

Meanwhile, there has been little sign of festive cheer elsewhere in Co Antrim with a petrol bomb attack on a house in Lisburn.

Again, no one was injured in the incident even though two devices were thrown into the Finch Gardens property shortly before 4am on Thursday with one of them igniting and caused minor scorch damage to the kitchen floor.

Three people, including a 10-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy, were inside at the time.

Lagan Valley Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn has condemned as "thugs" those involved in an incident that saw two petrol bombs thrown at a house in Lisburn.

Trevor Lunn MLA said: "People are sick of the type of individuals who are involved in this thuggery. They need to be taken off our streets, and anyone who can help police to catch those involved should contact them immediately.

"A petrol bomb is a lethal weapon, just as much as an explosive device, with the same capacity to cause death. Is that really what the perpetrators want, to kill children?

"Those who use fear and intimidation must never get their own way. People in Lisburn will be shocked and angry about this incident. They just want to get on with their everyday lives without having thugs causing trouble in their area," he said.

This was the third such incident in 24 hours as a security alert in north Belfast only ended after the Army bomb squad made safe a pipe bomb type device.

The suspicious object - which was discovered in the garden of a house on the Cliftonville Road on Wednesday morning - was viable, police said.

North Belfast DUP MP Nigel Dodds has condemned the planting of a pipe bomb in the front garden of a house on the Cliftonville Road.

Mr Dodds said: "It is deplorable that there are still those prepared to plant explosive devices, intent of causing death and injury.

"To leave a pipe bomb in the front garden of a house on a busy road, passed by dozens of school pupils and hundreds of drivers every day, is an act of callous recklessness. Any passing person could have suffered the consequences if it had exploded.

"Those responsible for these actions are dangerous fanatics who deserve no hiding place. I would urge anyone with knowledge of who is responsible to pass that information on the police," he said, yesterday.

"Whilst the motive has yet to become known, there will be strong suspicion of dissident republican involvement. Added to the discovery of firearms in Ardoyne last week, this is another worrying development. These incidents highlight the need for vigilance by the security forces and the need for full co-operation from all sections of the community."

See: 'Viable Device' Defused

(BMcC/GK)