'Pipe bomb attack could have caused carnage'

Billy Webb, the Alliance Party representative for Macedon, condemned those behind the incident, describing it as “a heinous act.”

The pipe bomb was discovered at the rear of the Homebase store on Longwood Road at around 1.30pm on Saturday (April 24).

Police evacuated the store and cordoned off the area while Army Technical Officers moved in to examine the scene and remove the device.

A PSNI spokesperson confirmed that the object removed by ATO was “a viable pipe bomb-type device.”

“I am relieved that this bomb was discovered before it exploded,” councillor Webb told the Times. “Saturday in Homebase is extremely busy and this heinous act could have resulted in carnage. Do the people who plant these bombs not realise that such despicable attempts to destabilise our society will merely strengthen our resolve to defeat terrorism?

“People want to move forward to a shared, peaceful future and they will not let the violent actions of a small minority push Northern Ireland back into the past.”

Councillor Webb urged anyone with information about the incident to contact police immediately.