Shot suspect critical as fire bomb raid foiled

A man remained critically ill in hospital today after being shot twice when police foiled a fire bomb attack in Belfast city centre.

The man was hit by officers who sprung a security trap when a car was abandoned outside the city’s motor tax offices.

Another man was arrested at the scene of the shooting in Franklin Street.

A large incendiary device was made safe early today by army bomb experts as a large part of the city area was sealed off.

Another man was arrested at the scene of the shooting in Franklin Street.

Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan is to investigate the incident.

It is understood two men drove in separate cars at around 6pm on Sunday to Upper Queen Street where the tax offices are located, close to Belfast City Hall.

One vehicle was left there before the two men, who were under surveillance, left together.

They had reached the next street when police swooped.

Officers opened fire, striking one of them in the chest and leg.

He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

The second man was seized and taken for questioning at Lisburn holding centre in Co Antrim.

Controlled explosions were carried out on the car before security experts approached to see what it contained.

The attack is the latest in a series of terror strikes on Belfast this year.

Both the Continuity IRA and the Real IRA have been blamed for car bomb attempts to wreck the Northern Ireland peace process.

A security source told PA News: “The only people who have shown any interest in bombing the city have been dissident republicans.”

“Presumably they want to attack economic and commercial targets, which really is something from another age,” one security source said.