Dissident republicans are suspected of having carried out a bomb attack on a police training centre in east Belfast, a senior police officer said today.
The Belfast area commander, Assist chief Constable Alan McQuillan said: "The first suspicion must be in terms of dissident republican groups, but it is at a very early stage.
"This is not an attack on the police service but an attack on all the people in Northern Ireland who want to move forwards."
About 100 people within Garnerville college were evacuated along with the residents of several surrounding homes and the army bomb squad was called in following reports of suspicious activity outside college at 11 p.m. last night.
The device exploded just after midnight as bomb disposal officers were about to examine it. No injuries have been reported and the students have returned to classes.
The back gates of the college where the device was discovered were damaged.
Police are now conducting a search of the surrounding area.
Earlier this month the first graduation ceremony for the recruits to the new service was held at the college.
Northern Ireland Security Minister Ms Jane Kennedy accused those who planted the bomb of trying to stop society moving forward.
"This incident, together with the attacks on other stations at the weekend, shows that there are those in our community who want to stay in the past," she said.
"We have a new beginning to policing and incidents like these will not deflect the move towards a better future for policing and for Northern Ireland."