Confusion last night surrounded a suspect car bomb near Oldpark RUC station in north Belfast. British army bomb experts carried out a controlled explosion on the vehicle.
A security operation was continuing near the base last night, and the RUC was unable to say whether or not the vehicle contained explosives. The security alert began after a caller to a local radio station said a 300 lb car bomb had been left outside Oldpark RUC base. Last night local people said the car had been parked on the road for weeks, leading to speculation that that the incident was a deliberate hoax.
It is understood the caller claimed to be from the IRA. He used "P. O'Neill" as a code-word. Provisional IRA statements are publicly signed "P. O'Neill", but the Provisionals do not use the name as a code-word when issuing warnings or claiming responsibility for particular attacks.
The name came to public prominence last week at the Stormont talks when unionist politicians said pledges from Sinn Fein on decommissioning were inadequate and demanded a statement from "P. O'Neill".
Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes during the security operation. The DUP Assembly member, Mr Nigel Dodds, said the incident had "brought back a form of terrorism that many people thought was over".
Bomb-making equipment found in a car stopped by gardai near the Derry-Donegal Border a fortnight ago belonged to the Provisional IRA. Some Provisional sources told journalists the equipment was merely being moved to prevent it falling into the hands of dissidents.