Houben centre bomb threat
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The Houben centre bomb threat was a hoax bomb threat on 25 March 2022 in Belfast that caused the evacuation of a conference addressed by the Irish foreign Minister Simon Coveney, the disruption of a funeral in the adjacent church and the evacuation of houses in the area.[1][2][3] It was condemned by politicians across the political spectrum in Northern Ireland.[4]
On 25 March 2022, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney was addressing the John and Pat Hume Foundation at the Houben Centre on the grounds of Holy Cross Church on the Crumlin Road.[1][2][3] A van had been hijacked between 9 and 10 am in the Shankill area of the city.[3] Two men had hijacked the van, one holding a gun to the driver's head and the other telling him "Listen, or you will be shot".[5] The van was taken to Upper Charleville Street, where a suspected bomb was put in it.[5] The gunmen took the driver's driving licence, threatened his family and warned him that a car would follow him to make sure he obeyed their orders.[5] He was ordered to take the van to Holy Cross Church.[5] He drove the van to the Houben Centre on Crumlin Road, then alerted police.[5] The centre was evacuated and the suspect package was made safe by police, who determined it was a hoax.[5]