Justin Kelly describes the interception of a sophisticated car bomb as an "extremely significant" seizure by Irish police.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly confirmed that Irish police intercepted a sophisticated car bomb being transported toward Northern Ireland. The vehicle was stopped on the N2 near Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, during an intelligence-led operation targeting dissident republican activity. The device, which featured military-grade explosives, a power unit, and a detonator, was ready for use as an under-car bomb. The administration of the Irish police successfully apprehended a woman in her 20s, who was a law student, at the scene. A man in his 40s was subsequently arrested in the Dublin area. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan described the seizure as "very worrying" but praised the police for defusing the device before it could pose a threat to the public. Justin Kelly noted that while the dissident republican movement is small, these "radicalised republicans" remain a persistent threat because they did not decommission their weapons following the Good Friday Agreement. The operation highlighted strong cross-border cooperation between the gardaí and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Sources