A bomb left in a car at a civic centre in Lisburn last night had the potential to cause serious injury or worse to those in the area, according to the PSNI.
Police said the device which they described as "crude but viable," was in the back of a white VW car and left in the Lagan Valley Island Civic Centre car park some time between 7.30pm and 8pm yesterday.
A call was received at around 8.10pm warning police the bomb would detonate in 25 minutes.
Chief superintendent Ken Henning of the PSNI appealed for anyone who was in the civic centre, or who witnessed anything suspicious, to contact police.
British army bomb disposal experts dismantled the bomb and removed it for examination.
Some 350 members of the public who were attending a theatre performance were evacuated from the centre and the area was cordoned off until 8.30am today.