FEARS of a pre Christmas IRA onslaught have been heightened with the discovery of a primed mortar bomb in north Belfast. Police say the mortar was to be used in a planned IRA attack designed to murder British soldiers and RUC officers.
The find is part of a pattern of recent explosives discoveries and reported aborted IRA attacks, and is intensifying concern that the IRA plans a major campaign of violence before Christmas.
The Mark 16 mortar bomb, primed and ready for use, was discovered close to Girdwood British army barracks early yesterday.
The mortar with its Semtex warhead is fired horizontally and can pierce armour. It has been used in fatal attacks on the British army and RUC.
Police believe it was to be fired at a British army/RUC patrol which was called out late on Wednesday night to deal with what turned out to be a hoax bomb
The RUC and British army responded with suspicion, the hoax alert failed, and the IRA abandoned its attack, police said.
Last week three similar mortars were found in a house in west Belfast. During the past week it emerged that the IRA tried to mount two attacks from Monaghan into Northern Ireland. Two weeks ago the RUC discovered over 1,000 lbs of explosives close to a British army barracks near Armagh city.
The Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, condemned the planned attack.
The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, warned that the preparation of bombs or the targeting of individuals had no place in the peace process. Mr Bruton challenged the republican movement to make up its mind on whether it was interested in a peace process or not.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble, said the mortar incident was only the latest in a trend. It indicated the IRA's true intentions.
Mr Billy Hutchinson, of the Progressive Unionist Party, which is linked to the UVF, said loyalist paramilitaries would view this latest incident with concern.
