Pipe bombs may have been for criminal gangs

THREE pipe bombs discovered near a shopping centre in Limerick yesterday, may have been brought to the city by former republican activists for sale to criminal gangs.

In follow-up searches 80 rounds of ammunition and parts of a submachine gun were found at Glasgow Park and Murroe.

Two men being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act at Henry Street last night are known to have been active with paramilitaries for a number of years.

One, aged 27, has a number convictions including kidnap and assault.

The arrests and discovery of the bombs, bullets and gun parts came in an operation mounted on Wednesday at Roxboro Road Garda Station by Superintendent Ann Marie McMahon and Detective Inspector Tom O’Connor.

The three pipe bombs were found at around 9am at the rear of Roxboro shopping centre. They were in plastic wrapping and hidden behind a number of wooden pallets.

Gardaí suspect they had been left there for collection.

A short time later 50 rounds of ammunition were found nearby on open ground in Glasgow Park.

In a search in Murroe, gardaí found 30 rounds of ammunition and component parts for a submachine gun.

It is believed the bombs were being brought to Limerick after being “ordered” from former republican bomb makers for use in an ongoing feud.

After the bombs were found, the Roxboro Shopping centre was cordoned off as an army bomb disposal unit travelled from Collins Barracks.

They brought the bombs to an unspecified location where they were neutralised.

The defused bombs along with the gun parts and ammunition were sent to the ballistic and forensic sections at garda headquarters in Dublin for further examination.

An army spokesman said: “The Army Bomb Disposal Team arrived at the scene at 12.30pm and the scene was declared safe at 13.45pm. The devices were removed for further examination and their remains will be handed over to gardaí for their investigations.”

Gardaí are not linking the discoveries to dissident republican activities, but suspect people who were in the republican movement may have used their former contacts to source the bombs, bullets and gun parts for one of Limerick’s notorious gangs.