Pipe bomb bid to lure man out into open

GARDAÍ believe feuding gang members targeted a Dublin home with a pipe bomb to entice a family member out “into the open”.

An investigation was under way yesterday into a makeshift device dumped under a car at a home on Ratoath Drive, Finglas, on Sunday night.

At about 11pm, an explosion went off under the parked silver Toyota Corolla. The resulting shrapnel from the blast flew across the road, breaking a neighbour’s window, and also damaged the car.

Gardaí immediately arrived on the scene and the Army’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal team sealed off the surrounding area.

It is thought the attackers wanted to lure a 28-year-old man, whose relatives were in the Finglas home at the time, out into the open.

Six people including four sons and daughters, were in the house.

However, the man who is known to gardaí no longer stays at the address.

He is believed to be involved in feuds with two different Dublin criminal gangs.

The first feud has seen no less than eight serious incidents in the past year and a half over the rape of a woman when she was a child.

Armed robber Christopher Griffin was jailed for life last month for the rape of the woman, his partner’s daughter, when she was a child.

His gang members have been warring with supporters of the women.

These included Gerard “Batt” Byrne, a 25-year-old from the Sheriff Street area shot dead in Dublin’s financial district last year. The Finglas man, whose family home was bombed on Sunday night, was an associate of Byrne’s.

The feud has resulted in two grenade attacks, two murders, as well as a number of shootings.

The second feud the Finglas man is caught up in involves gangs in the Ballymun area, who have been involved in killings and firearms offences.

Gardaí are keeping an open mind about Sunday’s attack, following a number of inquiries.

“The family are innocent people. They want him, these people want to bring him out into the open. They are trying to entice Batt’s associate into the dispute,” said a senior investigation source last night.

Gardaí also hope forensic tests will help identify if the explosive device is linked to any other recent pipe bomb attacks.

It is thought the makeshift bomb was made with bullet cartridges stuffed in a pipe.

Meanwhile, gardaí were also yesterday investigating shots fired at a Clondalkin home on Sunday night.

At about 11.40pm, shots were fired at the home on Lindisfarne Vale.

Two cars were damaged as a well as two windows smashed.

The two occupants of the house were not injured.