On Monday of this week The Irish Observer warned that Dissident Terrorists were preparing a new wave of terrorist attacks in the north this week and that dissident terrorists would also high-jack the Sinn Fein rally in Dublin this Saturday 4th December. Thanks to the actions of both An Garda Siochana and the PSNI murderous intent has been halted in County Louth. However, it is known that other devices are being prepared in north Monaghan and Donegal.
Foiled:
Four men have been arrested after an explosive device, which resulted in the closure of part of the M1 in Dundalk, was found in last night.
The device, described by gardaí as a viable mortar, was found in a car.
It was made safe by army bomb disposal experts who arrived at the scene at around 10.30pm.
An army team completed what it described as 'a technically difficult task that took over four hours' in freezing conditions.
Gardaí closed off the M1 in both directions during the operation as the mortar posed a significant threat to the public until made safe.
The discovery was part of an operation by the Special Detective Unit and officers from Louth/Meath investigating the activities of dissident republicans.
Two men in their 20s were arrested at the scene, while another man in his 30s was arrested nearby.
In a follow up operation components of a second mortar bomb were found in a shed at a house in Dromiskin and another man in his 30s was arrested.
A number of items were seized in this search and are subject to technical examination.
The four men, who are from Northern Ireland, Dundalk and Dromiskin are being questioned in Drogheda, Balbriggan and Santry Garda stations.
The North's first and deputy first ministers have paid tribute to gardai who discovered the devices.
Speaking in Co Tyrone, the DUP's Peter Robinson said he believed it was possible the bombs could have inflicted serious injury or death to targets in the North.
He said the discovery of the devices came about as a 'result of good intelligence' and was an example of 'cross-border co-operation at its best'.
Mr Robinson condemned the activities of dissident republicans, who, he said, wanted to drag Northern Ireland 'back to the bad old days', and were unable to see that the region had 'moved on to a new era'.
Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness described the activities of dissidents as 'totally and absolutely futile'.
He said it was important to encourage continued co-operation between gardaí and the PSNI.
