British Army bomb disposal experts diffused a pipe bomb in North Belfast tonight.
The device was discovered at the back of a house on Westland Gardens shortly before 3 p.m.
Sínn Fein blamed the loyalist paramilitary group the Ulster Defence Association and claimed the device had been abandoned on Monday evening.
Party counsellor for North Belfast Mr Danny Lavery said: "The RUC were made aware of the incident, searched the area on Monday night but discovered nothing.
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"But for good fortune, the failure of the RUC to detect this device might have resulted in serious injury to an unsuspecting child or member of the public."