A number of Catholic workmen escaped unhurt today when a explosive device went off close to where they were standing in north Belfast.
The men were crossing a courtyard at Brookfield Mill, Crumlin Road when the device was thrown over a wall.
Nobody was hurt, but the RUC said two cars were damaged and a number of people treated for shock. Officers took several items away for examination.
The latest in a series of attacks in north Belfast came amid heightening sectarian tensions and claims by Sinn Fein that the loyalist Ulster Defence Association was orchestrating much of the violence.
Protestant homes and property have also been attacked.
Also today the remains of an exploded pipe bomb which had been launched at a house in Newington Street in north Belfast were recovered by the RUC.
An RUC spokesman said detectives believe the bomb was thrown during the night.
In the early hours of this morning a pipe bomb was discovered by RUC at the back gates of the Everton Complex on Ardoyne Road. The bomb was discovered at about 3 a.m. and was dealt with by a British army bomb disposal expert.
The RUC said this evening up until Monday there had been 146 pipe bomb incidents in the North since the beginning of the year. Sixty five had exploded and 111 were defused.
As well as 253 shooting incidents, there had also been total of 54 blast bomb explosions. Another 22 had been defused.
PA