There has been widespread condemnation of an attempted bomb attack on a Catholic family in Greenisland, Co Antrim. The North's Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, said those responsible for Monday night's attack had been attempting to destroy the peace process.
A pipe bomb was planted under the family's car parked outside their home in the largely loyalist Glenkeen Avenue. Mr Seamus Mullan, his 84-year-old mother and two brothers live in the house. The family have been in the estate for more than 40 years.
The device was defused by British army bomb experts. No organisation claimed immediate responsibility but the RUC said it was investigating a possible sectarian motive. Loyalists were widely believed to be responsible.
Two splinter loyalist paramilitary groups, the Orange Volunteers and the Red Hand Defenders, have used similar devices in the past.
However, those who planted the device telephoned a warning to the Samaritans. Normally, loyalists would not give a warning after planting a bomb under a car.
Mr Mullan said his family was saddened by the attack. "We don't know why it happened. We have good relations with everybody. We have lived here many years and we are part of the community's life. We play football and golf with our neighbours." Neighbours also expressed shock. One woman described the Mullans as "a quiet family who never harmed anybody in their lives". Another neighbour, Ms Joan Stafford, said: "Nobody can understand it. This is a peaceful area. We never thought this sort of thing would happen."
Mr Mallon said anyone with information should inform the RUC so the perpetrators could be "taken out of circulation".
The Ulster Unionist MP for East Antrim, Mr Roy Beggs, said: "I wish to condemn this cowardly act unequivocally. This sort of incident will have brought great fear and distress to the victims. I hope it will not lead to this family leaving the area in which they have lived for 40 years."
Mr Beggs said the attempted attack was "another hostile act and another breach of the ceasefire". He urged the British government to introduce tough new security measures.
"Only by increasing its resolve against paramilitary groups will the government restore the shattered confidence of the people in Northern Ireland in what has become a very flawed and phoney so-called peace process," he said.
The Alliance leader, Mr Sean Neeson, who knows the family, said the attack was worrying given the recent upsurge of loyalist violence in the east Antrim area.
He said the growth of loyalist splinter groups was a matter for concern and he feared the situation could deteriorate given the current political impasse. He claimed the "godfathers" behind this type of attack were well-known in the area but people were frightened to contact the RUC.
The attack was also condemned by DUP councillor Ms May Beattie. "We hoped we weren't going to be faced with this sort of thing again," she said. Meanwhile, the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, yesterday insisted the paramilitary ceasefires were still holding despite an increase in "punishment" attacks.
Speaking during a visit to Co Antrim, she said: "If you read the Good Friday agreement, look at the criteria by which I make my judgment, and the evidence I receive - my view is that the ceasefire is not breaking down." She said she would maintain that position until she was given evidence to the contrary.