Shoppers urged to defy bombers

The Lord Mayor of Belfast today urged the public to defy bombers who placed an incendiary device in a city centre shop.

Cross-community Alliance Party Lord Mayor Tom Ekin condemned those who planted a firebomb in a city centre shop in North Street yesterday, claiming they were trying to strike at the Christmas shopping season and the peace process at a time of crucial negotiations.

“I think this incident is deplorable,” he said.

“It is clearly an attempt to destabilise the commercial life of the city centre especially as we head towards Christmas and it has also been timed to coincide with what is a delicate stage in the current negotiations involving the political parties.

“This does not in any way further the cause of those behind the planting of incendiary devices.

“I would urge all city centre businesses to be vigilant but I would also say to people not to be deterred by such incidents because the city centre is still a good place to shop.”

Army bomb disposal experts carried out a controlled explosion on the device last night.

Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland also urged business people in the run-up to Christmas to check their premises both during and after trading hours.

He also urged the public to alert police to any suspicious activity.