Two men released after questioning over Belfast bomb

Police have released two men who were questioned about an attempted car bombing in Belfast city centre two weeks ago.

The men, aged 44 and 45 years, were detained in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast yesterday.

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the men, who were questioned by serious crime squad detectives in Antrim, had been released unconditionally.

The 60kg bomb which was loaded into the back of a car partially exploded as Army bomb experts prepared to examine it on November 24th.

The driver of the car had been hijacked in Ardoyne and ordered to transport the device to Victoria Square - the city's main shopping centre, which is close to Laganside courts.

He managed to abandon the vehicle at the entrance to an underground car park and ran to a nearby police station to raise the alarm.

No one was injured and no buildings were damaged but hundreds of people were evacuated from restaurants, a cinema and apartments during the security alert.

Police blamed dissident republicans and said they would be stepping up operations in Belfast city centre in a bid to thwart further attacks in the run-up to Christmas.

PA