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East Belfast: Police believe other attack 'likely' after prison officer injured when bomb explodes Dissident republicans: PSNI fear centenary murder bids on security forces
(35 minutes later)
Police believe another attack on Northern Ireland's security forces is "highly likely" after a bomb exploded under a prison officer's van in east Belfast. Dissident republicans want to kill members of the security forces in the run up to the centenary of the Easter Rising, according to a senior police officer.
The 52-year-old man is in a stable condition in hospital. He was speaking after a bomb exploded under a prison officer's van in east Belfast.
The device partially detonated when he drove over a speed ramp at Hillsborough Drive, at 07:10 GMT.The device partially detonated when he drove over a speed ramp at Hillsborough Drive, at 07:10 GMT.
Police say they are "deeply concerned" about the terrorist threat in NI ahead of the Easter Rising centenary. The 52-year-old man is in a stable condition in hospital.
It is understood the prison officer works in Hydebank Wood Young Offenders' Centre in Belfast.It is understood the prison officer works in Hydebank Wood Young Offenders' Centre in Belfast.
More on the BBC News NI Live page.
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Ass Ch Con Stephen Martin said: "The threat is severe. That means an attack is highly possible.
"But we are deeply concerned by the current threat picture. In recent weeks we have been increasing patrols across Northern Ireland and we intend to do that in the coming weeks up to and through Easter.
"Easter is a very very important part of the annual calendar. This year it has much greater and increased significance.
"It's the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. That's a very important date, particularly for people from the nationalist/republican community."
"We will be culturally sensitive in our policing of the Easter 16 events," Ass Ch Con Martin said.
"However, there are people within dissident republican groupings who want to mark the Easter 2016 100th anniversary in an entirely sinister way. Who want to kill police officers, prison officers or soldiers."
He appealed for the help of the community to deal with the dissident threat.
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers told BBC's The Stephen Nolan Show that the attack was "a demonstration of how lethal the terrorist threat continues to be in Northern Ireland".Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers told BBC's The Stephen Nolan Show that the attack was "a demonstration of how lethal the terrorist threat continues to be in Northern Ireland".
"Thankfully these incidents happen very rarely but that is only because of the outstanding work of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and their security partners in preventing these attacks from happening most of the time," she added."Thankfully these incidents happen very rarely but that is only because of the outstanding work of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and their security partners in preventing these attacks from happening most of the time," she added.
Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said it was a "disgraceful and despicable attack".Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said it was a "disgraceful and despicable attack".
"Our thoughts and prayers are with this senior prison officer and his family as he is treated for his injuries in hospital," they said."Our thoughts and prayers are with this senior prison officer and his family as he is treated for his injuries in hospital," they said.
"We join all right-thinking people in condemning these cowardly actions. As a prison officer, he is someone who serves and protects our community and we are united in our rejection of this attack.""We join all right-thinking people in condemning these cowardly actions. As a prison officer, he is someone who serves and protects our community and we are united in our rejection of this attack."
Residents living in the area were left shocked and confused.
A man walking his daughter to school said he heard a really loud bang on Friday morning.
"I thought it was possibly a skip had fallen over, some houses being worked on down the street," he said.
He said the possibility that it could be a bomb "did not enter his mind" and he thought it was related to construction work on the street.
Finlay Spratt from the Prison Officers Association said prison officers had continued to be targeted since the ceasefires and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.Finlay Spratt from the Prison Officers Association said prison officers had continued to be targeted since the ceasefires and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
"There is no let up for prison officers, we can't live a normal life, we're not allowed to live a normal life by these thugs," he said."There is no let up for prison officers, we can't live a normal life, we're not allowed to live a normal life by these thugs," he said.
"It doesn't matter how often you condemn it, it just seems to go on and on and they're attacking people who are serving the community, all the community.""It doesn't matter how often you condemn it, it just seems to go on and on and they're attacking people who are serving the community, all the community."
A number of residents have been moved from their homes at Hillsborough Drive and an emergency evacuation centre has been opened at the Salvation Army on the Cregagh Road.A number of residents have been moved from their homes at Hillsborough Drive and an emergency evacuation centre has been opened at the Salvation Army on the Cregagh Road.
The Woodstock Road has been closed at its junctions with Omeath Street and Ravenhill Avenue.
Traffic in the area is being diverted and the road is expected to remain closed for some time.
As a result of the incident, Euston Street Primary School in east Belfast is advising parents that the school can be accessed from Castlereagh Road.
Condemnation
Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said he "utterly condemned" the attack.
He said there was "no place for terrorists in my vision of a new Northern Ireland".
Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly said: "There can be no place for such attacks in our society.
"Those behind attacks like this represent no one and have nothing to offer the community."
Justice Minister David Ford said those responsible for the attack had "shown an utter disregard for human life".
"Those involved in carrying out this misguided attack and those who planned it should see the futility of their actions," he said.
DUP MLA Robin Newton said the person or persons who planted the device "must be condemned by all right thinking people".
"This is a despicable act and it is fortunate that we are not talking about serious injury or even a fatality today," he said.
The police have issued an appeal for anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the Hillsborough Drive area or surrounding area over the past 24 hours to contact them.