The RUC have criticised the Continuity IRA who took responsibility for a bomb attack on a police station in West Belfast, saying the lives of civilians had put at risk in the attack.
Two men hijacked a bus and loaded a bomb containing five kilos of explosives inside a hold-all, leaving it behind the driver's seat. The bus driver was then forced to drive the vehicle to Woodbourne RUC Station.
A British army bomb disposal team carried out a number of controlled explosions on the device in a bid to defuse it but during the operation it exploded. There were no injuries, but there was considerable damage to the gates of the police station and the bus.
"The driver was forced to drive the bus along a busy road, past houses and other traffic. Not only was the life of the bus driver put at risk, but so too were other road users and people living in the area," said District commander Maggie Hunter.
A number of homes around the station were evacuated for several hours during the security alert and a local community hall was opened up to give evacuees shelter.