Ritchie Condemns Pipe Bomb Near Crossgar

“This is a quiet rural, farming community. Many of the families affected are very busy with harvesting at the moment and they do not need the added pressure of having police and army technical units in their community, or to be evacuated from their homes. [caption id="attachment_16288" align="alignleft" width="221" caption="South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has condemned those who left a pipe bomg near Crossgar. "][/caption] “If this turns out to be a hoax then it also has to be condemned. I urge anybody with information surrounding this incident to pass it to the police immediately. This is not the behaviour of normal society and it should not be accepted by anybody.” The device left at Drumnaconagher Road was an active bomb and could have endangered any passers-by, including children on their summer holidays. The police have requested that if anyone knows anything about the incident that they contact their nearest police station or phone the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 55511 where they can remain anonymous. In April 2011 there was also an earlier a bomb scare in the village of Crossgar when a woman noticed a suspicious object close to the community centre. This was reported immediately to the police and and an army technical team checked it out to find that it was not a viable device. But it had nevertheless caused considerable concern and disruption in the area.]]>