AN ARMY bomb disposal squad carried out a controlled explosion on a device outside a “head shop” in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, early yesterday.
Bomb disposal experts were also called to a second incident in Bridgend, Co Donegal, when a hijacked vehicle was abandoned near the Derry border.
After a security operation which lasted overnight, the incident was declared a false alarm early yesterday.
Senator Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fáil) said consideration should be given to co-operation with the British army in terms of bomb disposal units in Derry when there were bomb scares so close across the Border in Donegal.
“Surely these people would not be waiting six or seven hours for the bomb squad to come from Athlone. A number of months ago I tried to get the bomb squad reinstated in Finner, Co Donegal, and I was told we didn’t have enough incidents in this area.
“The reality is we don’t want any incidents that we cannot get rid of immediately We’re looking for the inconvenience to be minimised.”
In the head shop incident, an Army spokesman said the explosive device at the Yutopia adult shop on Pearse Road, Letterkenny, was deemed to be viable. “It had all the components necessary to go off and explode. To make it safe the bomb control officer had to carry out a controlled explosion.”
Several dozen people were evacuated from apartments in and near the building when gardaí raised the alarm shortly after 1am yesterday.
The Army bomb disposal team which had to travel from Athlone arrived at 5am, and pronounced the area safe at 6.20am.
Gardaí are hoping CCTV cameras may help with their inquiries.
In recent weeks the same owner had €7,000 of equipment stolen from a Donegal town head shop and a fire partly damaged his store in Sligo.
Letterkenny mayor Jim Lynch condemned the attack on the shop. He said the town council had voted for national action on head shops. “We have to go down the line of changing the law rather than taking them in your own hands.”
The Department of Health has said regulations to outlaw some products sold in head shops are to be introduced before June.