ATO at Blucher alert

The army bomb squad was tasked to the scene in the Blucher Street area during the alert yesterday afternoon.

A police spokesman said army technical officers were “tasked to the find of a suspicious object.” A number of houses were evacuated and the Gasyard Centre made available for evacuated residents.

As the Sentinel went to press Blucher Street was closed to traffic with diversions in place. The object was discovered close to the home of Sinn Féin economics spokesman whose home has been attacked by dissident republican groups in the past.

The Sentinel contacted Sinn Féin but a spokesman declined to comment.