London  - A woman has been injured in an apparent murder attempt when a bomb exploded under the car she was driving in the Northern Irish capital Belfast, police said Friday.

No group made any immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Northern Ireland has seen an upsurge in activity by dissident Catholic republicans who are opposed to the province's ten- year-old peace process.

Northern Ireland witnessed 30 years of civil strife and violence between mainly Catholics opposed to British rule in the province and the majority protestant population, until a peace agreement was signed in 1998. Over 3,000 people died in the conflict.

The woman, the partner of a police officer, was reversing the car out of a driveway in a predominantly protestant part of the city when the device exploded. Her injuries are believed to be minor.

Police said the bomb, which exploded on the passenger side, could have killed or caused serious injury.

The First Minister of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson, of the protestant DUP, said the bombing was "was an evil act designed to murder a police officer."

In March, dissident republicans killed two British soldiers and a police officer.(dpa)