Bomb experts dismantle grenade launcher on motorway

Army bomb experts worked overnight through freezing temperatures to make safe a grenade launcher found on one of Ireland’s busiest motorways.

The improvised mortar and launch tube, described as viable, was discovered in a car on the M1 between junction 16 and junction 17 near Dundalk, Co Louth.

The Army bomb disposal team was called out by gardaí, who arrested two men at the scene, at around 10.30pm last night.

A Defence Forces spokesman said the operation took more than four hours to complete at temperatures as low as -6C and was technically difficult.

The motorway between Dublin and Belfast was shut down in both directions until the mortar was made safe.

Army bomb experts said the homemade device “posed a significant threat to the public”.

The rocket launcher was removed for further analysis and the scene declared safe at 2.30am.