Bomb find - Crime feuds a threat to all citizens

While it is reassuring that the gardaí intercepted an explosive device in a car on the M50 motorway in Dublin on Thursday night, it also serves as a reminder that all the men of violence have not gone away.

Rendered harmless by an Army Explosives Ordnance Disposal team, gardaí believe the device may be linked to a campaign by the Continuity IRA against drug dealers in the capital.

Two men were arrested in connection with the find and were being questioned under Section 30 of the

Offences Against the State Act at Clondalkin.

It was somewhat of an understatement by Justice Minister Michael McDowell when he accepted that this was a serious development.

The carriage of explosive devices through populated areas, or any area, is most certainly very worrying.

His rejection of claims that gang feuds in the city were spiralling out of control is difficult to understand when the general public is used to weekly, verging on the daily, reports of gangland murders.

On can only agree with the minister when he averred that Thursday night’s incident showed that all paramilitaries really were criminals at heart.

However, it would be folly to underestimate the level of activities of serious criminals.