Police treat Antrim GAA bomb alert as sectarian attack

Police were today treating a bomb alert at a community centre where a GAA team was training as a sectarian attack.

Antrim mayor Adrian Watson condemned the incident and revealed the players inadvertently walked past the device as they were evacuated.

Police lifted an overnight security cordon this morning around the Stiles community centre, where the St Comgall’s GAA Club members were targeted last night.

Officers said today they found two “crude, non-viable devices” and described the attack as sectarian.

They warned members of the public not to approach any other suspicious devices.

Mr Watson said loyalists were being blamed and added: “There is no justification at all for this. The local club are entitled to use whatever facilities they want, it’s a community centre, it’s open to all.

“It’s in a mixed community and it (the attack) is a disgrace, especially since last week we had the bombing of the young PSNI officer.”

He told the BBC: “A very small minority of groups from both sides of the community seem intent on violence.”