Letter bomb to UUP defused

A letter bomb sent to the offices of the Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, in Lurgan has been defused by the British…

A letter bomb sent to the offices of the Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, in Lurgan has been defused by the British army. The RUC said the bomb was crude but viable.

This is the latest in a series of similar attacks on prominent unionist politicians, including UUP MP Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the UK Unionist Party, Mr Robert McCartney, and DUP councillor Mr Sammy Wilson. So far no one has been injured.

A large section of Lurgan was sealed off yesterday while British army bomb disposal experts dealt with the device contained in a jiffy bag.

Meanwhile, two men were arrested and guns and ammunition seized following a police operation in west Belfast.

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An AK47 rifle, a handgun and bullets were found in a taxi on the Andersonstown Road in west Belfast on Wednesday night.

Ballistic tests are being carried out on the weapons and two men were being questioned about the find in Castlereagh RUC holding centre last night.

Detectives, it is understood, are seeking to establish if there is an INLA link to the arms find.

A bomb alert in west Belfast yesterday was declared a hoax.

Gerry Moriarty

Gerry Moriarty

Gerry Moriarty is the former Northern editor of The Irish Times