Several buildings were evacuated in Belfast city centre last night after bomb scares. The BBC was the target of one threat and British army bomb specialists carried out a controlled explosion on a suspect car abandoned behind its office in the city.
Two pubs and a cinema also received warnings, from a caller claiming to represent the Continuity IRA. The RUC urged people to leave the city centre and go home. The caller said the paramilitary group had planted several bombs and incendiary devices. One was said to be near the Europa Hotel where the RUC and the Garda were taking part in a charity boxing night.
The alert was stood down shortly after midnight with all the warnings described as hoaxes.