Child's bike used to hide bomb in Belfast
A child’s bike was used to hide a bomb in the North, police said today.
The booby trap device was attached to the bike then placed beside a scout hall in a busy residential part of north Belfast.
Two men aged 33 and 34 were arrested today in connection with the Antrim Road alert last month when two devices were uncovered.
Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Justyn Galloway said: “A trap was put in place to kill police officers which could easily have murdered members of the public.”
On January 25, following a number of anonymous warnings, officers discovered the first bomb close to an Xtra-vision video shop on the Antrim Road. Police had earlier responded to a report that a man had damaged a window of the shop and run off.
A police spokesman said: “In a follow-up search another device was found. This one was a booby trap device attached to a child’s bicycle and placed beside a scout hut.”
They believe the incident of criminal damage may have been linked to the bomb alert.
Scores of families were evacuated from their homes as the security operation continued and part of the Antrim Road, an arterial route in north Belfast, was closed.
The suspects were detained in north Belfast today and taken to Antrim Serious Crime Suite for questioning.
Police have released footage of a man seen near the video store. They want to speak to that man and are appealing for anyone whose child owned a bike like the one used in the booby trap bomb who may have lost it, had it stolen, or sold it to contact them. Police also have footage of the criminal damage incident.
