Police blame republicans for failed bomb attack

Dissident republican terrorists were tonight blamed for a failed bomb attack on the outskirts of Belfast.

Army explosives experts defused the device found in an abandoned taxi near Blacks Road in Dunmurry.

The red Peugeot 406, which had been hijacked near a golf course earlier today, was destroyed during the operation.

Police have not disclosed details on the type of bomb, but one security source said: “It’s got to be dissidents behind this.”

Both the Continuity IRA and the Real IRA have mounted a series of failed attacks in and around Belfast in the last 12 months.

An SDLP Assembly member for the area, Patricia Lewsley, claimed the latest attack could have had devastating consequences.

She said: “There are four schools in the immediate vicinity and with the rush hour traffic, the extent of carnage that may have been caused cannot be estimated.

“It is lucky that the vehicle was discovered so soon and the area sealed off to prevent potential damage.”

Pleading for people to help detectives catch the bombers, she added: “The people of the north do not want to go back to the days of the Troubles when fear and disruption was suffered regularly.

“Those responsible for such threats on public security must be pursued and prosecuted.”