Breaking news, Belfast bomb, real ira, dissident republicans, PSNI, north Belfast bomb, ardoyne belfast

Breaking news, Belfast bomb, real ira, dissident republicans, PSNI, north Belfast bomb, ardoyne belfast

A bomb left in North Belfast last night was intended to kill, police said today.

Officers said British army explosives experts were called in to the Ardoyne area to deal with what they described as a “substantial viable device”.

Families living in the Jamaica Street vicinity had to be moved out of their homes during a full-scale alert.

No organisation claimed responsibility for the failed attack, but security chiefs suspect dissident republicans opposed to the peace process were almost certainly involved. A number of them live in the area.

Chief Inspector Andrew Freeburn, the PSNI area commander for North Belfast, said people had every right to be outraged.

He added: “Lives have been put at risk by an element intent on causing a loss of life and as much disruption as they can. The people who carried this out show a callous disregard for the lives of everyone in our community.

“This is a residential area and we could have been looking at a serious tragedy. There is absolutely no doubt this device was intended to murder.”

A senior member of Sinn Fein said that the Real IRA in Belfast, “Is made up of informers and sex criminals, most of whom were expelled from Sinn Fein and the Provisional IRA for criminality”.

Ardoyne Sinn Féin councillor Gerard McCabe condemned those who left the device.

“Not only have those responsible endangered local residents but they have also forced over 30 families to leave their homes while the device was dealt with,” he said.

“Ardoyne has been through enough in recent times without these micro-groups bringing further fear and disruption to people’s lives. Thankfully no-one was injured and those evacuated have returned to their homes.

“There is no support for this and the community rejects the micro-groups whose actions are outdated and will not further any political agenda or benefit those who they claim to be representing.

“The Irish people have clearly and overwhelming endorsed the peace process and it’s about time this futile activity ceased and those responsible caught up with the rest of the people.”

Real IRA charges

A book of evidence may be served early next month on the brother of murdered dissident republican Alan Ryan and two other men charged with IRA membership, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

Last month Vincent Ryan (22), Grange Abbey Drive, Donaghmede, Dublin, was charged with membership of the IRA on September 13th, 2012.

Mr Ryan appeared before the non-jury court yesterday wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a photograph of his murdered brother. Darragh Evans (23), Grange Park Rise, Raheny, Dublin, and Nathan Kinsella (33), of Matt Talbot Court, Dublin, were also charged with the same offence on the same date. The three were arrested following paramilitary activity at the funeral of Alan Ryan in early September.

Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan, sitting with Judge Margaret Heneghan and Judge William Hamill, remanded both Mr Ryan and Mr Evans in custody until October 10th, while Mr Kinsella was remanded in custody to appear in court tomorrow.