An overnight security alert close to police headquarters in Derry is continuing this morning, although police cordons have been reduced.
A police landrover sealing off Clarence Avenue during last night’s security alert.
Roads in and around Strand Road police station had been sealed off.
Traffic was diverted away from Queen’s Quay, Clarence Avenue, Lawrence Hill, Strand Road and a section of the Northland Road.
A number of residents who had been asked to leave there homes have been allowed to return with the exception of those living on Lawrence Hill. At one stage around 1,000 people were evacuated. Templemore Sports Complex and Brooke Park Leisure Centre were opened to accommodate those moved out of their homes.
Police have said ATO (ammunition technical officers) remain at the scene.
The alert came 12 hours after the murder of 35-year-old Barry McCrory who was shot dead in a flat in Shipquay Street just before 11.00am yesterday morning.
Deputy FIrst Minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein blamed dissident republicans for the killing.
The killing of Mr McCrory came 24 hours after the murder of a man in Belfast whose killing was claimed a group calling itself the “IRA,” the same organisation which claimed the killing of prison officer David Black who was shot dead as he drove along the M1 in November last year.
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