Bomb near N.Ireland police station

BELFAST -- A mortar bomb has exploded outside a police station in Armagh, Northern Ireland.

The Royal Ulster Constabulary said no injuries had been reported in the blast, which happened at 0740 GMT on Wednesday, but several people were treated for shock. The area was later sealed off and houses evacuated.

Nobody immediately claimed responsibility but Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson, said: “We are going to bring this sort of activity to a halt however long it takes and whatever it takes.”

RUC Chief Inspector Derek Williamson said the attack "was launched without warning in an absolutely indiscriminate fashion and at a time when the place was busy with schoolchildren and people going to work."

An unexploded pipe bomb was thrown on Tuesday at the Belfast home of Northern Ireland Assembly member Billy Hutchinson, which was defused by the army.

Hutchinson is a member of the Progressive Unionist Party, which has close ties to the Protestant Ulster Defence Force.

A second bomb exploded on Tuesday evening at a pub near Shankill Road, also in Belfast. No injuries were reported, and no arrests were made.

Police have also confirmed that an 80lb explosive device damaged a wooden hut at the remote Magilligan training camp near Londonerry on the same day.

A similar bomb found near the hut was made safe by an army technical officer.

Police blame Republican groups of trying to "inflict death and serious injury" on the security services.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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