WIDESPREAD condemnation followed yesterday's rocket attack on the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast with pleas for a reinstatement of the IRA ceasefire and for loyalists not to retaliate.
The SDLP MP for West Belfast, Dr Joe Hendron, accused the IRA of trying to provoke loyalist paramilitaries into a "new war" and described the attack as "cowardly".
Calling for a ceasefire, he said: "Sadly it seems that the IRA is only interested in continuing suffering and violence. They are the real oppressors of the people."
The Alliance Party Chief Whip, Alderman Sean Neeson, said it was "an act of recklessness aimed at plunging Northern Ireland into the darkest days of the troubles".
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, said it was clear Sinn Fein and the IRA were not committed to peaceful means and those who thought there was some prospect of a ceasefire were "seriously deluded. It is a pity that the political process has to be kept on hold because of those delusions".
Mr Trimble said: "We want to see the loyalist ceasefire holding. The loyalist paramilitaries are the ones that can let the IRA off the hook. I hope to the heavens that the loyalist paramilitaries don't rush to their rescue by joining in the violence."
Mr Gary McMichael, leader of the Ulster Democratic Party which is closely aligned to the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Freedom Fighters, was confident the loyalist ceasefire would hold.
Mr McMichael has met the UFF leadership and has been assured there has been no ceasefire breach. "The loyalist ceasefire is under pressure, but it is holding. The IRA are moving all of our people closer and closer to conflict.
"They have the power to make or break this peace process and they can break it by continuing on the road which they are going and failing to recognise the will and desire of the people for peace, said Mr McMichael.
Mr Peter O'Reilly, SDLP councillor for the Markets area of Belfast, where the car used by the terrorists was discovered, said it was "a vicious attack".
The UUP security spokesman, Mr Ken Maginnis MP, said: "If there had been any doubt in response to recent IRA activity being nothing more than posturing then the events of this morning and the events prior to that at the Royal Victoria Hospital should surely have laid that particular opinion to rest.
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, said: "I don't think there is any change of heart in Sinn Fein/IRA. I think they believe in the armed struggle as they always have believed in arid practised it. I believe that the peace strategy so called is only a ploy.
New Dialogue's joint presidents, Mr Peter Bottomley MP and Mr Harry Barnes MP, described the rocket attack as "a sick attempt to taunt loyalists into violence".
The spokesman for Families Against Intimidation and Terror, Mr Sam Cushnahan, said this and recent attacks "speak for the insincerity of Sinn Fein/IRA and show total disregard for human life".