23 Feb 2010

Bomb explodes outside Northern Ireland courthouse

9:11 pm on 23 February 2010

A car bomb has exploded outside a courthouse in the Northern Ireland town of Newry.

The attack comes only weeks after the region's main political parties - Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists - struck a deal to save the Northern Ireland executive, in which Unionists share power with Republicans.

The device was left in an abandoned car outside the courthouse. Suspicions were raised about the vehicle and as police were clearing the area the bomb exploded.

No one is believed to have been injured in the incident, the BBC reports.

It is the latest in a series of attacks this year by dissidents operating mainly in border areas.

Two mortar bombs were discovered in County Armagh at the weekend, while last month shots were fired at two police stations.