Minister’s home at centre of bomb alert

Stormont Minister Brid Rodgers’ home was at the centre of a bomb scare last week, it emerged today.

Following a spate of bomb alerts in Lurgan, a police spokesman confirmed security forces dealt with what they described as a ‘‘suspicious object’’ near the Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister’s home on Thursday of last week.

An SDLP spokeswoman also confirmed their deputy leader’s home was at the centre of an alert.

She said the hoax device was left overnight outside the nationalist minister’s doorstep and was in an attache case.

‘‘It turned out to be an elaborate hoax,’’ the spokeswoman said.

Details of the bomb scare at Mrs Rodgers’ home emerged after a number of people living in Shane Park in Lurgan were evacuated last night while the Army carried out three controlled explosions on a red Audi.

The alarm was raised after 8pm.

A firearm was recovered from the car.

Police believe the car was used in an early morning robbery during which a security guard was held up.

Before attending a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council with the Irish Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh in Co Fermanagh, Mrs Rodgers today condemned the spate of bomb scares.

The Upper Bann MLA said: ‘‘In recent times there have been a number of hoax bomb alerts in and around the Lurgan area.

‘‘Clearly there are a small number of people intent on causing chaos and fuelling fear in the community.

‘‘Apart from the fact that these alerts tie up police resources and are of great inconvenience to local people they also increase tensions in the area.

‘‘The people behind these attacks have no mandate, no respect and no interest in the people of Lurgan.’’