Experts begin examining bomb left at Shell offices
Officers attached to the Garda Technical Unit are also examining a carrier bag holding the home-made bomb for clues.
The Irish Examiner understands that gardaí are not presuming the bomb is connected to the campaign against the Shell pipeline in Co Mayo. Sources said the investigation will “not go blindly and assume a link” but will examine all possibilities.
Officers will base their investigation on available evidence, including forensic evidence and any clues from CCTV footage.
Gardaí yesterday began the process of identifying, collecting and viewing local footage, which will take some time.
It could also take several weeks for results from the technical bureau.
The explosive device was found outside the entrance of Shell’s offices at Corrib House on Lower Leeson Street in Dublin at about 10pm on Monday. Army bomb experts yesterday reiterated that the device was “viable” and had explosive content, and had the potential to “kill or maim”.
Shell to Sea — one of the campaign groups against the Shell Corrib Gas pipeline in Co Mayo — yesterday issued a statement rejecting claims by Shell linking the bomb to the campaign.
Shell Ireland spokesman Colin Joyce said the company was in no doubt the bomb was in support of opposition to the refinery.
He described it as a “sinister development and a very serious escalation”.
Paul Murphy of Shell to Sea said it had been committed to peaceful, rigorous public protest from the start of the campaign.
“We reject completely the unfounded insinuation by Shell’s communication advisor, Colin Joyce, that this device was made and placed by Shell to Sea supporters,” he said.
Shell to Sea sent a letter to Energy Minister Eamon Ryan yesterday calling on him to intervene in the hunger strike by campaigner Maura Harrington.
The schoolteacher is on her ninth day and said she would only end it if the ship laying the offshore pipeline left Irish waters.
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