An "extremely significant" and highly sophisticated explosive device has been intercepted by gardaí near the border during an anti-dissident republican operation.
The Interception and Arrests
Members of the Garda Special Detective Unit stopped a vehicle on the N2, just south of Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, on Wednesday afternoon. Upon discovering the advanced device, which is suspected to contain military-grade explosives, gardaí called in the Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team to safely examine and defuse it.
Two suspects are currently in custody:
• A woman in her 20s, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested at the scene.
• A man in his 40s was subsequently arrested and is being detained at a Dublin-area Garda station.
Security Official Responses
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly and Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan confirmed the details during a Garda graduation ceremony in County Tipperary.
• Commissioner Kelly commended the officers involved and warned that 'a small, radicalised minority of dissident republicans who rejected the Good Friday Agreement' continue to pose a long-term threat. He highlighted that An Garda Síochána is working in close coordination with the PSNI and UK intelligence services to counter these networks.
• Minister O'Callaghan described the seizure as "very worrying" but stated that the successful interception proves the immense value of cross-border security cooperation. He emphasized that the operation successfully prevented a severe, active threat to public safety.