British soldiers today defused two bombs planted at a Sinn Féin member's home in northern Co Antrim.
The pipe-bomb devices were found under a car and at the side of the house in Ballymena, triggering fears of a new sectarian campaign in the staunchly Protestant town.
The man, who did not want to be identified, has lived in the property with his sister for several years.
Several homes and a nearby health centre were evacuated as troops moved in.
Republicans linked the discovery to other death threats and attacks and claimed loyalists could be driven to murder unless their representatives take urgent control.
Mr Philip McGuigan, a Sinn Féin Assemblyman for North Antrim, warned: "It's going to end up with someone kicked to death on a Friday or Saturday night because of this naked sectarianism."
Mr McGuigan, who pulled off arguably Sinn Féin's biggest coup in November's Stormont elections by taking a seat in Democratic Unionist Party leader the Rev Ian Paisley's stronghold, said the attack was the latest in a rising campaign.
The loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association forced a teenage nationalist to quit Ballymena earlier this month following death threats, he claimed.
A Catholic soccer side was also forced to flee after being confronted by a sectarian mob during a match in the town's local league, he added. Urging Protestant representatives to help halt the intimidation, Mr McGuigan said: "There is clearly an agenda at work here to intimidate the local nationalist and republican population."
Mr Billy McCaughey, who represents the Ulster Volunteer Force-linked Progressive Unionist Party in Ballymena, called for an end to the attacks.
He said: "Whoever is involved in these incidents should consider the greater good and take on board many of the positive developments happening politically in Ballymena.
But DUP MLA Mr Mervyn Storey remained sceptical about the bomb attack, arguing that it may have been manipulated ahead of the looming European elections.