Gardaí are investigating the discovery of a “viable” bomb near a Russian-owned refinery in Co Limerick.
The device was found on Friday afternoon, attached to a fuel tank that services the Aughinish Alumina refinery sports and social club building located close to the Shannon-estuary towns of Foynes and Askeaton.
A spokesman for the Irish Defence Forces confirmed the bomb was viable, meaning it was capable of detonating and causing injuries or death.
The device is believed to have included a battery-timed mechanism so that it could be detonated long after the perpetrators had left the area.
RM Block
It is understood that up to 100 staff at the Rusal-owned facility were unable to leave while a 350-metre security cordon was in place at the scene for several hours between Friday night and Saturday morning.
A Garda spokeswoman said local gardaí were alerted after a “suspect device” was discovered “at a premises near Foynes, at approximately 3.30pm, Friday, and a cordon was established”.
A statement provided by the Defence Forces said: “On Friday evening, bomb experts from the Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team responded to a request for assistance from An Garda Síochána in relation to a suspect device in the area of Askeaton, Co. Limerick.
“Following an assessment, the EOD team confirmed the device was viable, and it was rendered safe. The EOD Team then handed the scene over to AGS.”
The army EOD unit was on scene for a total of six hours, from its arrival at 6.58pm on Friday to just after 1am on Saturday.
Security sources said CCTV will play a central role in the ongoing investigation into who was behind the bomb threat.
The area around and inside the alumina refinery is heavily populated with security cameras, and gardaí hope to secure footage that may assist them in tracking and apprehending those behind the bomb.
A Garda spokeswoman confirmed on Sunday that the scene had been declared safe.
The area where the bomb was found was close to a publicly accessible nature walking trail.
Following an assessment, the EOD team confirmed the device was viable, and it was rendered safe
A source said investigating gardaí were examining one of many lines of inquiry, including the possibility that the bomb may have been in response to Russian missile attacks in Kyiv on Thursday night.
While the Aughinish Alumina plant has no direct link to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, it is owned by Russian aluminium giant Rusal, and one of its significant shareholders is Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
Mr Deripaska was previously hit with UK government sanctions including a full asset freeze and travel ban in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the Irish Government has refused to support any potential sanctioning of Rusal’s Askeaton plant.
The Kremlin stated in April 2024 that UK and US sanctions imposed on Russian metals would have no impact on its ability to supply aluminium to world markets, and would only serve to hurt countries imposing sanctions.
In February 2022, gardaí launched an investigation into criminal damage at the entrance to Aughinish Alumina which was daubed with slogans in red paint, similar in nature to protests at Russian embassies around the world.
Aughinish Alumina, which employs 450 people at the Askeaton refinery, has been contacted for comment.
