Suspected INLA pipebomb brings terror to families
An army bomb disposal expert at the Nissan Almera uses a special robot to examine the suspect device
A PIPEBOMB planted in a built-up residential area yesterday may be linked to resurgent paramilitary criminality in Dublin's south inner city.
The pipebomb, which was inserted into a Pringles crisp container, was taped to the side of a wine-coloured Nissan Almera which was in the car-park in the centre of the Braithwaite Street flats complex in Pimlico.
It is believed senior INLA figures may be behind the foiled attack. Local sources indicated that the INLA have been become more active in criminal circles in the area. It is understood their activities now include attempts at taking money from drug dealers, and intimidating them into compliance.
Yesterday's incident is also thought to be linked to a similar attack last June, when a grenade was thrown at a home in the nearby Coombe area of the city. It is understood that the same people are involved in both incidents.
Intimidation
The INLA have become increasingly linked to serious crimes such as extortion, intimidation and drug running.
The International Monitoring Commission (IMC) said in a report last year that they were particularly active in Dublin.
The increasing activity is thought to be linked to the release from prison last February of a leading member of the organisation, who is also thought to be behind the latest incident. The device was spotted by a Dublin City Council worker.
At around 8.45am, gardai evacuated the nearest block of flats to the explosive and also cleared out half of the flats in another block across the courtyard.
The Army bomb disposal team were called and arrived at the scene at 9.30am yesterday.
An Army spokesman described the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) as "viable" and said it had the capability to kill or maim. "The team carried out a controlled explosion at 10.05am and gave the all-clear at 11.15am.
"If you were standing next to it and it went off, you could have been killed or maimed.
"The disguising of this precarious, crude, homemade device in readily recognisable packaging is disturbing.
"This could have attracted the attention of children in the vicinity with potentially dangerous results."
Residents echoed these sentiments, with some pointing out that it was lucky that most children, who would usually be making their way to school at that time, were on holiday.
"Thank God there were no kids in school today," said Jackie Buckley, who lives in front of where the bomb was placed with her two children, aged six and 11, and her partner.
"They might have seen the Pringles box and gone up and kicked it or something.
"I got a bang on my door at 8.40am and it was the guards telling us to get out. As I was walking out of the flats with the kids, I could see the device attached to the car.
Shock
"It was a shock to everyone, nothing like this ever happens around here."
An Army spokesman said there had been a definite increase in the use of pipe bombs around the country.
The Army's Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team have now been called out 15 times this year to deal with IEDs.
In the whole of 2007, they were only called out 14 times.
Yesterday's controlled explosion in Pimlico is the third time the Army have been called out in the last two weeks.
Local Labour councillor Eric Byrne said that pipebomb attacks were "becoming very, very common now".
"There always has been a cohort of INLA people in the south inner city and they have always been involved with the criminal fraternity," he said.
- Fiach Kelly
