Pipe bomb discovered in Belfast

A pipe bomb discovered at the rear of Catholic homes in north Belfast was intended to add to the sectarian death toll in the area, it is claimed.

Sinn Fein councillor Margaret McClenaghan said the device, which was found in the back garden of a home in Alliance Avenue in Ardoyne, had been thrown over the peaceline from the loyalist Glenbryn area.

Army bomb disposal experts defused the pipe bomb device this morning after the area was sealed off for several hours.

A police spokesman said a number of items were removed for examination.

Mrs McClenaghan said Catholic homes at the interface near Holy Cross school had been subjected to continuing attacks in recent days.

"In the course of the last few days there has been a lot of activity in this area," she said.

"Houses in Alliance Avenue have come under attack from Glenbryn. This device has quite clearly been thrown from Glenbryn during this time.

"The device discovered was clearly intended to kill. It landed behind the home of a man who is seriously ill.

"There is no doubt in my mind that those responsible had every intention of adding to the sectarian death toll in north Belfast," she added.