Two men arrested by gardaí as part of a cross-Border antiterrorism operation are suspected of being members of a violent fringe far-right organisation intent on attacking people from a minority group, gardaí believe.
A vehicle in which the men were travelling was stopped and searched by gardaí in Abbeyleix, Co Laois, on Wednesday. Pipe ends and sealant, a bulletproof vest, cable ties, hatchets, knives and a Tricolour were discovered.
Separately, in the North, four explosive devices were discovered at a property in the village of Annalong, Co Down. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) also seized items such as laptops, which are to be examined, and confirmed the searches were carried out under the Terrorism Act.
In recent years, gardaí have carried out significant operations investigating far-right activists and have treated some of their crimes, including threats to politicians, as national security issues. The arrest of far-right figures during the cross-Border counterterrorism operation on Wednesday involving the discovery of suspect devices represents a significant escalation in the nature of investigations targeting such suspects in the Republic.
The Garda operation was carried out by the Special Detective Unit (SDU), which investigates terrorism and other threats to the State. Assistant Commissioner Michael McElgunn, head of the Garda’s National Crime and Security Intelligence Service, said the search and arrests demonstrated the force’s commitment “to identifying, assessing and countering security threats” to communities.
“This ongoing operation demonstrates the close working relationship An Garda Síochána has with our colleagues in the PSNI to investigate and interdict threats across the island of Ireland, keeping people safe,” he said.
Regarding the operation in Annalong, the PSNI said its officers initially “discovered suspicious objects inside the house, with four suspect devices then located” in the garden.
“Ammunition technical officers subsequently attended the scene and examined the devices,” it said.
“During the public safety operation that followed, a number of local residents were evacuated from their homes. The suspected devices and a number of items – including laptops – were removed for further examination.”
Gardaí believe the men detained in Laois on Wednesday are members of an extreme right organisation which was described by sources as “niche” and “very small” and which has no public profile in the Republic. The nature of the attack the men were intent on was not immediately clear, but gardaí believe their plan was in motion when they were stopped.
The men are in their 30s and 40s and do not have any significant criminal background that gardaí were aware of. One of the men has strong links to Northern Ireland, while the other suspect is originally from another European country.
They were being held at Garda stations in the Midlands under the Offences Against the State Act and can be questioned for up to 72 hours without charge. The Garda said it was working closely with the PSNI on this investigation, including investigating the arrested men on suspicion they were members of an illegal organisation.
The operation was ongoing last night as a car seized by gardaí in Drogheda was found to contain suspicious items. It was being examined at a site in Co Louth by a Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal team.
