Limerick prison bomb attack ‘an elaborate hoax’

GARDAÍ and the army were last night examining two nail bombs thrown over perimeter walls into Limerick prison.

The suspect devices were defused by the army bomb disposal unit before being taken to garda headquarters.

Army bomb disposal experts were sent from Cork to examine the devices, later described as elaborate hoaxes.

Parts of the prison had to be evacuated and sealed off following the discovery of the cylinders at 10am and at 3pm. They were declared safe by late afternoon and taken away for forensic examination.

The first device was found by staff in the prison yard yesterday morning with wires sticking out of it.

Another device was discovered in the afternoon close to the jail's kitchen.

Both bombs contained nails, gun pellets and a quantity of powder, and are being forensically examined. The powder was not an explosive substance.

There is growing tendency among criminal gangs in Limerick to use explosive devices and there is speculation the prison attack is linked to ongoing gang feuds in the city.

Prison officers are concerned. Nigel Mallen of the Prison Officers' Association (POA) said: "These incidents once again highlight the dangerous environment in which prison officers work. Gang feuds that are ongoing in Limerick city can spill over into the prison and make the operation of the prison difficult.

"The POA is calling for a complete review of safety and security at Limerick Prison to ensure the safety of its members."

The POA claim to have raised health and safety issues in the past and are concerned about the management of Limerick Prison. A general search began in the prison at 5.30pm and continued for a number of hours last night.

While prison management and gardaí waited for the army bomb disposal team to arrive and examine the devices, kitchen staff were evacuated and unable to prepare lunch for inmates.

Management decided to order out and picked Luigi's in Parnell Street for 220 batches of cod and chips to take away. The popular takeaway is well-known to many of the inmates from their days on the outside.

The prison even got a discount on the 700 bill for buying in bulk. "The boss man gave them a special price," said a staff member yesterday.

He added: "It was no problem. Our business is a good business. It just took a few minutes extra to do. There was no rush or anything. Now, if they had come at lunchtime it would have been a problem but they came before, at 12, so it was OK."