Dublin museum employee charged after car bomb intercepted near Irish border

Simon O’Donovan (right) is the second person to be charged in connection with a car bomb discovery at the Irish border (Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

Two people have now been charged after the most significant car bomb found in the Republic of Ireland in a decade was intercepted by police,with further details emerging on the suspects.

Driver Isobella Perrie Sullivan was arrested following a search of the vehicle and subsequently charged,before Simon O’Donovan was charged this weekend.

Described by Gardaí (Irish police) sources as ‘advanced’ and ‘highly sophisticated’,the bomb was seized in transit near the Irish border in an operation targeting suspected dissident republicans.

Authorities believe it was being moved with the intention of using it in the North.

The intelligence-led swoop saw members of the Garda’s Special Detective Unit stop the vehicle travelling on the N2 south of Carrickmacross,Co. Monaghan,on Wednesday afternoon.

Gardaí then requested the assistance of the Irish Defence Forces EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team.

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Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.Isobella Perrie Sullivan was arrested after the bomb was intercepted in a vehicle she was driving (Picture: PA)Upon completing an examination of the vehicle,the device was found and is understood to have contained suspected military-grade explosives.Made from military-grade plastic,it could potentially have caused ‘significant damage’.The vehicle was driven by Sullivan,25,who was arrested at the scene under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.Following a stint in custody,the law student was charged and granted bail after appearing before a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co. Meath,charged with possession of explosives. She remains in custody ahead of an additional bail hearing on Monday.Then,44-year-old O’Donovan,with an address at Sperrin Road in Drimnagh,was also charged with possession of explosives and remanded in custody after appearing before the Special Criminal Court at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin on Saturday night.He was previously held at a Garda station in Dublin while follow-up searches were conducted. News outlets in Ireland said he is a suspected member of the New IRA’s Dublin branch.O’Donovan represented himself in a bail hearing but had bail refused.The man,employed at the Collins Barracks National Museum,will also appear in court again tomorrow.These charges come after,during a search of Sullivan’s vehicle,a bag was found in the rear seat,which contained Semtex and a detonator,the court heard.Gardaí objected to bail for Sullivan,of Abbeylands Park,Clane,Co. Kildare,before defence solicitor Gavin Booth,of Phoenix Law,said his client had been asked to take a bag to the north and had not been aware of what was in it.Judge Raymond Finnegan agreed to allow bail under several conditions,which included an independent surety of 15,000 euros,surrendering her passport,an address approved by Gardaí,a mobile phone number on which to be available 24/7,signing in every day at Naas Garda Station,and a curfew of 9pm to 7am.In the aftermath,Sullivan’s parents said they are ‘devastated’ and struggling to comprehend what has happened.Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said the incident is ‘extremely concerning’ (Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)Mr Booth insisted that her family would keep Sullivan (who reportedly goes by Perrie) ‘on a tight rein and ensure she abides by all conditions’ of her bail.Following their daughter’s arrest,it’s believed her parents had to drop off her medication at the Dundalk Gardaí station,with the court told her body could ‘go into shock’ and she could die if she didn’t receive it.As for her personal background,Mr Booth explained that Sullivan,who lives with her father,was previously a member of a ‘political group’,and she spent time in Syria.Now studying to become a barrister herself,and with her notes found in the back of her car,she has left politics behind.Sullivan,who graduated with a law degree from ATU Donegal in Letterkenny last year,was ‘manipulated’ into transporting the bag found in her vehicle,Mr Booth added to the court.Confirming details of the operation,Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly spoke to the press at a Garda graduation event in Co. Tipperary on Friday.A bag was found in the rear seat of Sullivan’s car,containing Semtex and a detonator (Picture: Damien Eagers/PA Wire)‘To be clear,what we found was an extremely significant seizure,’ he said. ‘So this was an explosive device.’Further details of the device are still being investigated; however,it has been confirmed that ‘not just components or pieces’ were seized,suggesting the bomb was already constructed when found.Commissioner 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.‘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.PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck reiterated commitment to keeping the public safe (Picture: David Young/PA Wire)‘We work very closely with our colleagues in PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) 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.’Ireland’s Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan also described the seizure as ‘very worrying’,but said he feels ‘encouraged’ that the authorities were ‘able to apprehend the suspect’.

What is the Good Friday Agreement?

Also known as the Belfast Agreement,the Good Friday Agreement was reached on Good Friday,April 10,1998,designed to bring an end to three decades of conflict.

Known as the Troubles,the conflict cost the lives of more than 3,500 people due to the divide between unionists who wanted Northern Ireland to stay within the UK and nationalists who wanted it to become part of the Republic of Ireland.

As explained by the Northern Irish Assembly,the Agreement was reached between the British and Irish governments on how Northern Ireland should be governed.

The talks leading to the Agreement addressed issues that had caused the conflict during previous decades. The aim was to establish a new, devolved government for Northern Ireland in which unionists and nationalists would share power.

He added that there is undoubtedly evidence of ‘an ongoing threat in respect of dissident republican activity’.

‘But I also know that there’s been great cooperation between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána,and I think I suppose the developments recently and the work of An Garda Síochána indicate the benefits of having that close cooperation between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána.’

Commending the Gardaí for their work in defusing the bomb,he noted that the incident ‘didn’t become a real threat to the public’.

An investigation is ongoing into the extent of the damage the bomb could’ve caused (Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

In a further statement,PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck said police on both sides of the Irish border shared a ‘joint commitment’ in tackling the dissident republican terror threat.

Welcoming the seizure and the arrests made,he stressed the dedication to ‘keeping communities safe’ as they support the ongoing investigation and liaise closely with An Garda Síochána.

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant commended the Garda for intercepting the device,too,explaining that their action was ‘quick’ and ‘decisive’.

‘Intercepting a dangerous device like this undoubtedly saved lives and kept communities safe on both sides of the border,’ he posted on social media.

‘Strong cross-border security cooperation remains as vital as ever.’

DUP leader Gavin Robinson described the development as ‘chilling’,questioning whether the Irish government needs to increase its focus on tackling dissident republicanism.

‘If terrorists are capable of assembling sophisticated explosive devices and moving them towards the border,then it is entirely legitimate to ask whether the threat is being fully recognised and whether sufficient resources and operational focus are being directed towards disrupting these organisations before they reach this stage,’ the East Belfast MP said.

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