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The device was discovered during a planned operation in County Monaghan, close to the border with Northern Ireland. The bomb was made safe by the Irish Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team before being removed for forensic examination.
Police said the operation had prevented an attack that could have caused “devastating consequences”. Garda (Irish police) Commissioner Drew Harris described the device as “extremely significant”. At the same time, Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis said it was one of the most sophisticated improvised explosive devices recovered in recent years.
The two suspects, both aged in their 40s, were arrested under Ireland’s offences against the state legislation and remain in custody for questioning.
Dissidents remain active amid Good Friday Agreement
Investigators believe the bomb was intended for use by dissident republican militants opposed to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which largely ended three decades of violence in Northern Ireland.
Security officials have warned that while dissident republican groups remain small, they continue to pose a threat through sporadic attacks targeting police and security forces. The latest seizure comes amid heightened concerns over renewed militant activity along the Irish border.