Second suspect package for Shatter home investigated

Gardai and the Defence Forces have put in place a major security operation to deal with a suspicious package addressed to the home of Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.

An envelope containing an unidentified white powder was this afternoon being examined at Rathfarnham Garda station in south Dublin by Army bomb disposal experts, who also deal with chemical and biological threats.

It is the second time in a week such an operation has commenced.

Last Wednesday Mr Shatter alerted the Garda after an envelope containing white powder arrived via the postal service at his home.

The letter also contained anti Semitic material, including a photograph of a Nazi rally.

While the street around Mr Shatter’s home in Ballinteer was sealed off for a period, an examination revealed the white substance to be harmless baking powder and the area was declared safe.

In the latest incident this morning, the alarm was raised by a supervisor at an An Post sorting office at Edmonstown Road in Rathfarnham.

At around 6am powder was spotted coming from a letter addressed to Mr Shatter’s home and local gardaí were alerted.

Members of the force arrived at the sorting office and took the envelope back to Rathfarnham Garda station. The Army’s personnel were called in and examined the letter at the station, with the area sealed off as a precaution during the exercise.

The operation was ongoing this afternoon, which confirmation awaited as to the identity of the powder.

Garda sources said last week’s hoax was under investigation and that today’s incident would be probed for any links in an effort to find the source of both packages.