THE GARDA Commissioner, Fachtna Murphy, and Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan have expressed concern at the growing use of pipe bombs by criminal gangs. However, they said many viable devices had been seized and lives saved as a result.
The commissioner said while some of those involved in the supply and use of explosive devices may have been once subversives, they were all regarded as criminals by the Garda. "Invariably they're involved in extortion," he said. "A lot of it relates to drug trafficking. These are criminals targeting other criminals for the most part."
Operation Anvil, set up three years ago to tackle armed crime, was now focused on gangs using the devices. The commissioner said the Organised Crime Unit was also targeting those involved and that a team of gardaí based in Store Street station, Dublin, was engaged full-time on the investigation of the origins of seized devices.
He was speaking at a passing out ceremony for 261 gardaí in the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, a day after a pipe bomb exploded outside a house in Crumlin. It was the first time that an explosive device used by gangland criminals had exploded.
The device was thrown from a passing car into the front garden of a house on Monasterboice Road at about 11pm and exploded underneath the living room window.
None of the occupants of the house were injured, but a car parked nearby was damaged.
The incident is believed to be linked to a row between criminals from the area. A number of houses in the immediate vicinity were evacuated before the Army's bomb disposal team carried out an examination and declared the area safe. It was the 45th time this year that the Army's bomb team has been called out to deal with explosive and hoax devices. There were 98 call-outs last year.
The commissioner said that while the use of bombs by gangland criminals was a "new phenomenon", many attacks had been thwarted.
Mr Lenihan pointed out that gardaí had seized component parts for 20 devices last week in Tallaght, Dublin.
"Of course it's a serious problem. Many of these materials are readily available . . . if people have the know-how they can assemble ." However, gardaí were waging a "relentless war" against organised gangs.
"You can see substantial progress this year with substantial seizures of drugs, firearms and pipe bomb-making equipment. There'll be no let up with that."
Yesterday gardaí in Finglas, Dublin, seized drugs and guns after houses were searched. The find was made at the back of a house on McKelvey Avenue.
A handgun, sawn-off shotgun, ammunition and cocaine valued at some €80,000 were found by a search team from Cabra, Blanchardstown and Finglas Garda stations along with members of the Organised Crime Unit.