Attacks on schools continue

Bomb disposal experts made safe a pipe-bomb left at the gates
of a Catholic school in north Belfast over the weekend.

Part of Fortwilliam Park was closed after the device was found
at the gates of Dominican College.

Last week the same school was disrupted while a controlled
explosion was carried out on a suspicious device left outside.

Sinn Fein north Belfast councillor Danny Lavery condemned last
night's incident.

"It is completely unacceptable. Those responsible are
targeting the easiest and most vulnerable places," he said.

"Schools should be treated with respect and left alone as
places where our children go to get their education.

"Those responsible have no support and the vast majority of
the community would prefer to see schools left untouched by
sectarianism."

A number of schools have been targeted in the last few weeks,
including Holy Cross Primary School for girls and an Irish
Language nursery school, which was attacked by arsonists.

Meanwhile, there have been attacks again on the McClure Street
area of south Belfast. A number of nationalist youths were
injured during clashes with loyalists throwing firworks and
other missiles.

Former Sinn Fein mayor of Belfast Alex Maskey said trouble in
the area was becoming a nightly occurrence.

"I would like to appeal again to loyalist and unionist
representatives to bring an end to this," he said. "Local
republicans are working hard to keep people away from this
area."

"I am concerned there is a sinister agenda at work here
because in recent weeks we have seen an increase in attacks on
the nationalist community in McClure Street."