A senior Sinn Féin representative today condemned a bomb threat targeting his family home.
Junior Minister Gerry Kelly, who is currently in the US on a political trip, said his constituency office received a call this morning claiming a bomb was about to be detonated at the republican's family home.
The North Belfast representative said searches failed to find an explosive device, but he condemned those behind the threat.
No group has been blamed for the threat, but dissident republicans have already threatened to attack senior Sinn Fein members, including deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
Mr Kelly, who is in the US for events to mark 25 years of the McBride Principles on fair employment, said those behind the threat would not deter him from his work.
‘My constituency office was phoned this morning and a man claimed that a bomb would go off outside my family home within an hour,’ he said.
‘My home was subsequently checked and nothing was found.
‘I condemn this cowardly threat against my family.
‘As a public representative I have received threats before and this latest one will in no way detract me from carrying out my work on behalf of the people who elect me. Be assured that we will not be intimidated.
‘It shows the calibre of the people responsible that they would threaten my family and neighbours in such a way.’
