Woman arrested after bomb found near Northern Ireland border
A woman was arrested after a significant bomb was discovered in a car near the Northern Ireland border, linked to a dissident republican operation.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A woman has been arrested and charged after a bomb was discovered in a car near the Northern Ireland border in what police describe as a significant counter-terrorism operation. The device, which contained military-grade explosives, is believed to have been intended for an attack in Northern Ireland.
The vehicle was stopped on Wednesday afternoon in County Monaghan, near the town of Carrickmacross, on a main road leading north across the border. The operation was carried out by the Garda Special Detective Unit, acting on intelligence targeting dissident republicans opposed to the peace process.
Inside the car, officers found what they described as a sophisticated explosive device. Garda sources told the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ that the bomb contained a power unit, a detonator and military-grade explosives. The head of the Irish police, Commissioner Justin Kelly, said the seizure was extremely significant and that the device was ready to be used. It was not just a collection of components but a fully assembled bomb, capable of causing major damage.
The driver of the car, a 25-year-old woman named Isabella Perry Sullivan, was arrested at the scene. She appeared in court on Thursday evening and was charged with possession of explosives. A detective told the court the device contained what he believed to be the explosive semtex. Sullivan, a law student, was granted bail under a number of conditions but was remanded into custody ahead of a further hearing on Monday.
A second suspect, a man in his 40s, was also arrested and is being held at a Garda station in the Dublin area.
Local residents expressed shock that such an incident could happen in their area. One person said: "We don't want to go back that ever again. It's just terrible." Another added: "For all the horror and the pain that they all went through, to see someone being stupid trying to start it all again, are we not more civilised than that?"
The discovery is the latest in a series of dissident republican activities this year. In March, a car bomb was left outside Lurgan police station in County Armagh; the device did not detonate. A few weeks later, a bomb exploded outside Dunmurry police station near Belfast after a hijacked delivery driver was forced to make the drop. Both attacks are thought to have been carried out by the dissident republican group known as the New IRA.
Politicians from across the political spectrum in Northern Ireland expressed concern. One unionist politician said: "We know that this, had it been successful, would have been another terrorist attack in a series now. A regular drumbeat of dissident republican activity trying to hold us back." Another said the group had "no positive way forward" and should leave communities to live in peace.
Irish police have said that while dissident republican paramilitaries are small in number and have very little support, the threat from them remains serious. The foiled attack is a reminder that radicalised republicans opposed to the Good Friday Agreement continue to pose a danger.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| A woman was arrested after a bomb was discovered in her car near the Northern Ireland border; a second suspect was also arrested; the bomb was described as 'extremely significant' and the operation targeted dissident Republicans. | ||
| The bomb contained military-grade explosives, a power unit, and a detonator. | · | |
| The device was intended as an undercar bomb for an attack in Northern Ireland. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West provided the most detailed and continuous coverage, treating the story as a breaking development. It focused on the operational details from Garda sources, the court appearance, local reaction, and the broader context of dissident republican activity. The tone was factual and concerned, with a strong emphasis on the significance of the device and the threat it posed.
- “Gardaí sources have also said the device was expected to be used as an undercar bomb in An attack in Northern Ireland”
- “The head of the Irish police said the bomb was ready to be used. It was a significant explosive device So certainly not just the seizure of components or pieces. This was an explosive device.”
- “We know that this had it been successful would have been another terrorist attack in a Series now a regular drumbeat of Dissident Republican activity trying to hold us back.”
ITV1's coverage, particularly in its evening bulletin, emphasised the sophistication of the bomb and the ongoing threat from dissident republicans. It included strong local reaction and a unionist politician's quote framing the activity as a 'regular drumbeat'. The tone was dramatic, describing the bomb as 'huge' and 'highly sophisticated', and it highlighted the previous attacks to underscore the persistent danger.
- “Inside was what the police called a sophisticated bomb made of military-grade plastic explosives.”
- “It's the third time dissident Republicans appear to have carried out an attack this year.”
- “We know that this, had it been successful, would have been another terrorist attack in a series now. A regular drumbeat of dissident Republican activity trying to hold us back.”
Broadcast Timeline
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