Irish police seize bomb-laden car near border, arrest two

Irish police intercepted a significant, fully constructed bomb in a vehicle near the border with Northern Ireland this week, arresting two individuals and preventing a potential attack. The operation on Wednesday afternoon targeted dissident republicans, authorities confirmed on Friday, July 24.

Members of the Garda’s Special Detective Unit, acting on intelligence, stopped a vehicle traveling on the N2 road south of Carrickmacross in County Monaghan. The car's driver, a woman in her 20s, was arrested at the scene. A man in his 40s was subsequently detained in the Dublin area. Both are being held on suspicion of offenses against the state.

Following the stop, the Irish Defence Forces’ Explosive Ordnance Disposal team conducted a detailed examination of the vehicle. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly, speaking at an event in County Tipperary, emphasized the significance of the find. “What we found was an extremely significant seizure,” Kelly said. “This was an explosive device. It would have or could have potentially caused significant damage.” Officials described the device as fully constructed, sophisticated, and containing suspected military-grade explosives, though Commissioner...