Ballynahinch was on alert this morning when a suspect device was discovered.
An Army Technical Officer xa0examined a suspicious object discovered in Ballynahinch xa0and conducted a controlled explosion on it. The remnants have been taken away for further examination.
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A suspect device was blown up in Ballynahinch today after local residents were moved out of their homes.[/caption]Detective Inspector Denise Graham is appealing for anyone who witnessed this suspected device being left in Hillcrest Lane early this morning or anyone with any information about the incident to contact Detectives in Downpatrick on the non-emergency number 101. Information can also be passed anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.xa0
Rowallene Councillor Billy Walker has condemned those responsible for planting the suspect device in Hillcrest Lane. He said: “As a public representative, I totally condemn this act to disrupt our community. I believe their acts will unite us rather that divide us. There has been much good work done in community relation over recent years and people on both sides of the community and disgusted by this act of potential violence.
“It really was quite sinister considering we are now in the mid-term holidays and youngsters in the area would have been passing by the device on their way into Ballynahinch and to the leisure centre.
“This was clearly designed to disrupt the community. This morning local residents and families, many of them elderly, were forced to leave their homes for a number of hours. People are just fed up with this sort of unnecessary threats to the community. I would urge anyone with knowledge of this to contact the police.”
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