Gardaí foil dissident bomb plot
Gardaí investigating dissident republican activity have uncovered equipment which is believed was being prepared for a potential bomb attack in Northern Ireland.
Officers raided a house in the Mountpleasant area of North County Louth, just outside Dundalk at around 7pm on Saturday night.
Component parts of a potentially significant explosive device were seized during the planned swoop.
Among the items discovered at the outbuilding in the Mount Pleasant area of the town were two large modified gas cylinders fixed onto a trailer.
It is not clear if they were to be used as improvised mortars or as a large bomb.
The raid involved officers from the Garda specialist detective unit, the emergency response unit and local gardai.
Two men in their 30’s and 50’s were arrested.
They are being held for questioning under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act at Drogheda Garda Station.
The operation could well have thwarted an imminent attack similar to those carried out by violent extremists opposed to the peace process in recent months.
The scene was sealed off while forensic tests are carried out.
