There will be enormous relief that a bomb which was capable of causing death and destruction on an appalling scale was intercepted outside Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, during a major Garda operation against dissident republicans.

The device, which was described as sophisticated, and said to include a timing power unit, a detonator and a quantity of powerful Semtex, was seized when a car heading north was stopped on main Dublin to Derry road last Wednesday.

Two suspects, the alleged driver, Isobella Perrie Sullivan (25), a law student, and Simon O’Donovan (44), a staff member with the National Museum of Ireland, who was detained separately, have since been charged with the possession of explosives.

It was clear that considerable intelligence resources had been concentrated on what the Garda........

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