Two people have been arrested after police in Ireland targeting dissident republicans intercepted an “extremely significant” bomb that was being transported in a vehicle near the border.
Members of the Garda Síochána’s special detective unit stopped the vehicle travelling on the N2 south of Carrickmacross, County Monaghan on Wednesday afternoon.
Revealing details of the interception on Friday, Garda sources said the bomb was “highly sophisticated” had been completed and was ready for use. It contained a power unit, a detonator and military grade explosives.
Security sources said the probable intended use was as an under-car explosive for an attack in Northern Ireland.
Gardaí then requested the assistance of the Irish Defence Forces EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) team, which completed an examination of the vehicle south of Carrickmacross. It is understood the device found contained suspected military grade explosives.
The vehicle’s driver, a woman in her 20s, was arrested at the scene and remained in Garda custody on Friday. Another suspect, a man in his 40s, has since been arrested and is being held at a Garda station in the Dublin area.
The Garda commissioner, Justin Kelly, confirmed details of the operation as he spoke to media at a Garda graduation event in County Tipperary on Friday.
“To be clear, what we found was an extremely significant seizure,” he said. “So this was an explosive device.”
Kelly added: “Any seizure of this nature is really concerning. However, we certainly know that there are a small minority of dissident republicans who did not agree with the Good Friday agreement, they did not put weapons and explosives [out of use], they didn’t, you know, go through with the proper process in relation to decommissioning. So that is something that we continue to deal with.”
He went on to say: “There’s a small minority of these individuals, I would describe them as radicalised republicans, and this is a threat that we’re going to continue to face for some time in An Garda Síochána.
“But what I will say, certainly, it was a significant explosive device. So certainly not just the seizure of components or pieces. This was an explosive device and it would have or could have potentially caused significant damage.”
The commissioner confirmed the operation relied on intelligence. “Obviously, this was not a random stop,” Kelly said. “This is an intelligence-led operation, so we certainly do have information in relation to the individuals involved.”
A security source said that the fact a bomb of that nature had been built and transported to the border was “worrying” because of the “level of skill” involved, which required mechanical and electrical knowledge and the sourcing of explosives.
They said that “radicalisation of individuals captured by the internet” meant individuals, rather than organised networks, could be at the centre of the incident.
Pipe bombs that have been used in the recent past to target members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) can be “relatively crude” but this bomb appeared to be different and would have needed an initiative device and a timer.
The fact that the Garda intercepted the bomb shows its intelligence gathering is working. However, the incident will fuel concerns over the level of counter-terror resourcing since the 1998 peace deal.
Kelly said: “We work very closely with our colleagues in PSNI and the intelligence services in the UK to deal with this threat. But I want to commend the members of An Garda Síochána who are involved in this operation.
“A female (aged in her 20s), the driver of the vehicle, arrested and detained pursuant to Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 (as amended), continues to be detained.
“A male (aged in his 40s) has since been arrested in connection with the investigation, and is detained pursuant to Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 (as amended), at a Garda station in the Dublin region.”
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