An “extremely significant” bomb has been intercepted in a vehicle in transit near the Irish border in an operation targeting dissident republicans, gardaí have said.
In an intelligence-led swoop, members of the Garda’s Special Detective Unit stopped the vehicle travelling on the N2 south of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan on Wednesday afternoon.
Gardaí then requested the assistance of the Irish Defence Forces EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team, which completed an examination of the vehicle.
The vehicle’s female driver, aged in her 20s, was arrested at the scene and remained in Garda custody on Friday.
Another suspect, a man aged in his 40s, has since been arrested and is being held at a Garda station in the Dublin area.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly confirmed details of the operation as he spoke to media at a Garda graduation event in Co Tipperary on Friday.
“To be clear, what we found was an extremely significant seizure,” he said.
“So this was an explosive device.”
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