Kids evacuated after bomb find near school
CHILDREN at a primary school in Co Antrim were forced to flee their classrooms yesterday when a suspect device was found in the grounds of nearby Crumlin police station.
Around 30 families were also forced to leave their homes, until late evening, while PSNI officers sealed off the area and army bomb experts examined the scene.
Last night police confirmed that the device was viable and had been removed for further examination.
The 170 evacuated pupils from Crumlin Primary School and residents living along the Mill Road took shelter in a local community centre after the alarm had been raised around 11am.
The police station has been closed to the public but is still used as a patrol base for local neighbourhood officers.
A police helicopter carried out an aerial examination of the area while army technical officers dealt with the device.
At one stage of the operation the helicopter landed in school grounds in what is thought to have been an opportunity to relay video information to the bomb squad.
The Crumlin alert, which comes only two days after a device was discovered by a child at a school in nearby Antrim, resulted in the Mill Road being closed between Crumlin Road and Main Street.
On Monday, an eight-year-old schoolboy picked up a pipe bomb he discovered in the playground of St Comgall's Primary School.
The P5 pupil and other children had a lucky escape on that occasion as police described Monday's device as "viable".
Danny Kinahan of the Ulster Unionists said the security alert in Crumlin demonstrated the "depths to which terrorists are prepared to stoop" and urged anyone with information to come forward.
"After terrifying staff, pupils and parents from St Comgall's and St Joseph's Primary Schools in Antrim, those continuing their campaign of violence and intimidation can stoop no lower.
"We once again have a situation where children, who should feel secure in their school environment, are being subjected to the horrors of a campaign that should have been left in the past."
The South Antrim MLA said those responsible are "beneath our contempt" and that anyone's family "could be next".
Mr Kinahan added: "This latest incident reinforces the fact that terrorists from either side of the divide are prepared to unleash terror on any and every member of this community, and we can accept it no longer.
"If those involved will put the lives of young children at risk, then there is no line that they will not cross. They are beneath our contempt and have no place in a Northern Ireland that is committed to stability and a better future for our children.”
Antrim’s deputy mayor, Alan Lawther, said community relations in the area are good and that it was only a small number of hardliners who can’t live in peace.
The Alliance councillor said: “It defies belief that these people would leave bombs in or near primary schools.
“We can’t have society here dragged back to the bad old days of before and I would like to think people will give the necessary information to the police and put an end to this activity.”
Mr Lawther added: “You saw the way the community came together after the murder of the two soldiers at Massereene, and I’ve every confidence people in the area will continue to work together to bring this to an end.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
