Irish police seize ‘extremely significant’ explosive device in suspected Northern Ireland attack plot

Vehicle was stopped on Wednesday afternoon during an operation targeting dissident republican activity, with 2 people arrested as further details of investigation emerged

A car carrying what Irish police described as an “extremely significant” bomb has been intercepted in the Republic of Ireland while being driven toward Northern Ireland for a suspected attack, Irish Police said on Friday. The vehicle was stopped on Wednesday afternoon during an operation targeting dissident republican activity, with two people arrested as further details of the investigation emerged. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said on Friday that officers had recovered an explosive device from the vehicle, describing the discovery as an “extremely significant seizure.” A woman in her 20s who was driving the vehicle was arrested, while a man in his 40s has since been detained. Irish broadcaster RTE reported that police sources said the device contained a power unit, a detonator and military-grade explosives. The sources also told the newspaper the bomb was believed to have been intended for use as an under-car device in an attack in Northern Ireland. “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," Kelly said. “So that is something that we continue to deal with. There's a small minority of these individuals, I would describe them as radicalized republicans, and this is a threat that we're going to continue to face for some time,” he underlined. He noted the seizure highlighted the continued threat posed by dissident republican groups opposed to the peace process established by the Good Friday Agreement. The investigation is ongoing, with officers continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the discovery and the suspected intended target of the device.