‘Crude device’ at centre of fourth NI security alert in 24 hours removed

Residents had been asked to clear part of Lisburn, Co Antrim after report of suspicious object

Residents were advised to leave a number of homes in the Rathvarna Drive  area of Lisburn (above), Co Antrim, on Wednesday afternoon following a report of a suspicious object. File photograph: Google Street View
Residents were advised to leave a number of homes in the Rathvarna Drive area of Lisburn (above), Co Antrim, on Wednesday afternoon following a report of a suspicious object. File photograph: Google Street View

Homes were evacuated on Wednesday in a fourth security alert in less than 24 hours in Northern Ireland.

Residents were advised to leave a number of properties in the Rathvarna Drive area of Lisburn, Co Antrim, following a report of a suspicious object.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said army bomb experts were tasked to the scene and made safe what has been termed as a "crude device".

Residents were able to return to their homes on Wednesday evening after the army members removed the device for further examination.

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Democratic Unionist MLA Paul Givan condemned those responsible for the device.

“I’ve spoken with the individual targeted by a crude device in Ballymacash Drive and offered my support in the days ahead,” he said. “Those responsible have nothing to offer society and after meeting people in the community centre it will only strengthen the resolve of the local community.”

There was a separate security alert in Lurgan, Co Armagh where the Cornakinnegar Road was closed while PSNI officers examined a suspicious object at a closed school.

Separately, pipe bomb devices were found late on Tuesday in separate incidents in areas of Armagh and Rasharkin, Co Antrim.

Two of the devices exploded during an attack on a house in the Windmill Avenue area of Armagh at 11.30pm. Three people were in the house at the time. No one was injured, but the front door of the house was damaged.

In Rasharkin, a number of residents of Moneyleck Park were asked to leave there homes at 10pm after a pipe bomb was set on a windowsill outside a house and a second bomb was thrown through a front window. - PA