Dublin man charged over M50 bomb find

A Dublin man appeared at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court yesterday in connection with the discovery of a bomb…

A Dublin man appeared at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court yesterday in connection with the discovery of a bomb in a car at the Westlink toll bridge on Thursday night.

Martin O' Rourke(22), of Sheepmore Grove, Blanchardstown was charged with the unlawful possession of an improvised explosive device at the Westlink Toll Plaza, Castleknock on December 8th.

He was also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann.

The court remanded O' Rourke in custody.

READ MORE

A 56-year-old man, arrested after a house search nearby, has since been released without charge.

A file is being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Detectives believe dissident republicans may have been supplying the device to a feuding criminal drugs gang in south Dublin. It was found in a plastic lunchbox on a baby seat in the rear seat of the car.

The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell condemned the incident and said dissident republicans were cowardly thugs who had besmirched the name of republicans everywhere.