Car bomb defused at NI fair

BALLYCASTLE, Northern Ireland -- A car bomb left at a street fair attended by thousands of tourists has been defused in Northern Ireland.

Police said the planting of the "large blast incendiary" device in such a heavily populated area was "madness."

Army bomb disposal experts were called in to defuse the device found in a car at Castle Street, Ballycastle, in County Antrim.

A British Army source told the UK's Press Association news agency that the device comprised of two gas cylinders, a detonator and a timer.

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It was discovered by a routine police patrol at 10 a.m. local time (0900 GMT).

A Belfast newsroom received a telephone call shortly afterwards about the device. The source said the timer had been set, PA reported.

The device was found on Tuesday during the second day of the Auld Lammas Fair -- one of Northern Ireland's top tourist draws.

The streets of the seaside town were crowded with tourists when the alarm was raised following a telephone warning.

Police evacuated the area and called in the army.

A senior RUC officer said: "It was madness putting a bomb in such a crowded area. It is hard to believe."

Later, Superintendent John Bustard accused those who planted the bomb of attempting to murder innocent people.

In a statement to CNN he said: "For generations people from all communities in Northern Ireland have enjoyed the festivities associated with the Auld Lammas Fair.

"This is in stark contrast to the motives of would-be killers who seem to want nothing more than a return to the bloodshed of the past 30 years.

"The fact that this device was discovered and defused will be no comfort to the ruthless individuals who planned and executed this abortive attack."