Man held over Dublin bomb parts

A man was arrested this morning after bomb-making equipment and drugs were discovered at a house in Dublin’s north inner city…

A man was arrested this morning after bomb-making equipment and drugs were discovered at a house in Dublin’s north inner city.

Components to make four pipebombs and heroin valued at €75,000 were seized during a raid on the house on Paul Street near Smithfield.

Although no explosives were found, a bomb disposal team was called out to examine the suspect objects.

A 20-year-old man was later arrested for drug trafficking offences and taken to Store Street Garda Station where he can be held for seven days.

READ MORE

A Defence Forces spokesman said the items found were identified as bomb-making materials which could potentially have been used to make explosive devices.

The area was sealed off after the raid at 7am and given the all clear by the bomb disposal team three hours later.

Fine Gael Senator Paschal Donohoe said the seizure of the bomb-making equipment was a serious cause for concern.

"Not least because of the fact that this is the second bomb-related incident to have occurred in Dublin Central in the last number of months," he said. "Back in March a number of dissident republicans were arrested in the area of Phibsboro, with reports of 'pipe bombs' also being found.

"Now to find that materials, which could facilitate the production of even a small number of bombs, have been discovered in the north inner city is a worrying development which will warrant further investigation."

Addtional reporting: PA