CIRA admits responsibility for Belfast blast bomb attacks

The Continuity IRA has admitted responsibility for throwing blast bombs at police during riots in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast on Tuesday night.

At least nine of the improvised grenade-type devices were thrown at police following an Orange Order march in the nationalist area.

Six of them exploded and more than 100 police officers were injured along with several civilians.

Film footage released by the PSNI yesterday showed several masked men wearing surgical gloves preparing to throw the bombs.

Admitting responsibility today, the Continuity IRA said it also had armed men on the ground and had considered opening fire on the police when they began using plastic bullets.

It said it decided not to use the weapons because it would have been too risky.

The Continuity IRA split from the Provisional IRA in 1986 and is linked to the splinter political party Republican Sinn Féin.