13/12/2005

Bomb alert at Maghaberry prison ends

A security alert at Maghaberry prison near Lisburn on Tuesday has ended.

Security personnel began searching the prison after a telephone call to a Belfast newspaper at around 7am warned of a device being left in a bag of grit inside the jail.

Sniffer dogs were used in a search of the compound of the high security prison however this search ended on Tuesday afternoon when nothing was found.

Prison staff had been unable to get to work this morning and the rest of the day's prison visits have been cancelled.

It is understood that because of the alert no prisoners are leaving for court appearances.

(MB/SP)

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