Belfast police step up patrols after bomb blast

Police in Northern Ireland have stepped up patrols in the centre of Belfast after a large bomb partially exploded in the city over the weekend. No one was injured in the incident but police warned on Monday it was part of a "surge" of activity by republican groups opposed to peace in the British province. Masked men wearing boiler suits hijacked a car, loaded it with a bomb containing about 60 kilogrammes (130 pounds) of home-made explosives on Sunday and told the terrified driver to go to a shopping centre. He left his vehicle near the mall car park and raised the alarm, causing police to evacuate hundreds of people from homes, restaurants and a cinema nearby. As army disposal experts began to disable the bomb the detonator exploded late Sunday, although fortunately it failed to trigger the rest of the device, damaging only the empty car. "We are viewing this as an effort to try and really disrupt the city centre in the run-up to Christmas," said Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris. "It is many years since we have had such a direct attack in the city centre of such scale, we are asking people to be vigilant. People will see an increased police presence in the city centre." Police chief Matt Baggott warned the incident was part of an increase in activity by groups who still want the British province to be part of the Republic of Ireland. "There has been a surge recently in dissident republican activity. We have seen letter bombs, under-car booby traps, blast bombs, hijackings," Baggott said. "These groupings are trying to bring themselves to notice again. They seem to be in some form of bizarre competition to make sure that they have a profile." The United States government condemned the "cowardly acts" and reiterated its "continued support for those who are working to build a stronger society". "Over the past fifteen years, the people and institutions of Northern Ireland have made great progress toward peace, stability, and prosperity," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. "Those intent on violence will not deny Northern Ireland the opportunity to fulfil these goals." In a similar incident last week, a bus driver was ordered to drive to a police station in Londonderry, to the north of Belfast, with a bomb on board. More than 3,500 people died during three decades of violence between Catholic republicans and Protestant unionists who want to remain part of Britain. The unrest was largely brought to an end by 1998 peace accords which created a power-sharing government between the two communities, although low-level violence continues. Baggott said that "99.99 percent of the public are absolutely opposed to anything that will take the province back".