Elite gardaí, Ireland's national police force, are actively monitoring 13 dissident republican groups believed to have hundreds of active members, following the thwarting of a significant car bomb attack near the border. The discovery of the large explosive device, found in a car boot earlier this week, has drawn comparisons to the scale of bombings during the Troubles.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly stated that the retrieved device had the potential for devastating destruction and that police work directly prevented a terrorist attack. He described the threat as stemming from a small, dedicated minority of radicalized republicans who have not decommissioned weapons or explosives and do not agree with the Good Friday Agreement. The commissioner emphasized ongoing cooperation with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and UK intelligence services to counter this threat.
Intelligence suggests two groups, the Continuity IRA (CIRA) and the New IRA, possess the capability and motive for such an attack. The New IRA formed in the early 2010s from the merger of the Real IRA and Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD). These groups, along with others, are splinter factions originating from the Provisional IRA, which ended its armed campaign after the 1997 ceasefire and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Security officials expressed concern over the release of approximately 70 dissident prisoners from Castlerea Prison in recent years.
A senior Garda official indicated that the Special Detective Unit (SDU) is tracking over a dozen cells, with the New IRA and CIRA identified as posing the most significant threats. These groups are believed to have substantial capabilities and resources, with active threats against both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Concerns are particularly focused on their activities in border areas like Derry, Donegal, and Cavan.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan called the seizure "very worrying" and "very significant," commending the gardaí for apprehending a suspect and acknowledging the ongoing threat from dissident republicanism. Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck of the PSNI welcomed the seizure as a testament to joint public safety efforts.