Firebomb attack 'bid to extort money'

GARDAÍ believe an attempted fire-bombing of a house was a bid by suspected members of the Real IRA to extort money from its owner.

Four men were still in custody last night following the botched arson attack on a semi-detached house in the Cork suburb of Little Island.

Shortly after 12.20am yesterday morning, the men drove a Hiace van packed with petrol bombs to the quiet housing estate at Fairways and tried to reverse it up to the house, but it became bogged down on the lawn.