Homemade 'viable' bombs linked to dissidents had 'potential to cause serious injury or death'

The two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), were discovered and made safe by an army bomb disposal unit deployed by the defence forces, on agricultural lands at Fedamore in Co Limerick.

The explosive devices were discovered, buried on agricultural lands around 9am this morning, during a series of planned Garda searches.

Gardaí, led by the Special Branch unit at Roxboro Road Garda station, who were carrying out planned searches of the area, about two km from Meanus, alerted the defence forces after they believed they had found the location of the pipe bombs.

The Fedamore to Meanus road was closed for several hours while an army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and an Army Engineer Specialist Search Team discovered the devices, before transporting them to a secure military compound and "made safe".

Defence Forces spokesman, Captain Dónal Gallagher said the search by specialist army engineers "involved clearing a patch of land" and that the responding army teams "took all due caution to ensure their own safety and the safety of the wider public".

"As regards the devices that were found - they were assessed to be viable - and when we assess the device to be viable, that means it has the potential to cause serious injury or death," he added.

A Defence Forces statement said: "Upon locating two devices, the Army Bomb Disposal Team confirmed the devices as viable, rendered them safe at the scene at 1.20pm and have since removed them to a secure military location for further analysis."

"A cordon was in place throughout the search. The Defence Forces will continue to assist An Garda Siochana with their investigation," the statement added.

A Garda forensic team carried out detailed evidence collecting examinations at the scene.

No arrests were made, however Garda sources said the operation was "ongoing".

It's the second Garda operation combatting dissident republicans in the Limerick region in the past month.

On October 31 last, three men arrested in Rathkeale, were charged with IRA membership and firearms offences.

Conor Hughes, 38, Darren Fox, 26, and Jamie Smithers, 36, appeared before the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin on November 2 last.

They were arrested as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity in Co Limerick.

Mr Hughes, of Goatstown Close, Goatstown, Co Dublin, Mr Fox with an address at Coolevin, Ballybrack, Dublin, and Mr Smithers of St Patrick's Park, Tullow, Co Carlow, are each charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA.

Mr Hughes and Mr Fox were also charged with the unlawful possession of a Winchester 12-gauge sawn-off double-barrel shotgun and two 12-gauge shotgun cartridges at Kyletaun, Rathkeale, Co Limerick.