The PSNI has warned shoppers and businesses to be vigilant over the Christmas season following the discovery of an incendiary device in Belfast yesterday.
The firebomb, which was found in a shop in North Street, was destroyed by British Army bomb disposal experts who carried out a controlled explosion last night.
Assistant PSNI Chief Constable Duncan McCausland also urged businesspeople in the run-up to Christmas to check their premises both during and after trading hours. He also urged the public to alert police to any suspicious activity.
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Mr Tom Ekin, condemned those who planted the firebomb.
"I think this incident is deplorable," he said. "It is clearly an attempt to destabilise the commercial life of the city centre especially as we head towards Christmas and it has also been timed to coincide with what is a delicate stage in the current negotiations involving the political parties."