Ireland charges man over explosives found near Northern Ireland border

Sunday 26 July 2026 - 08:15

By: Sahili Aya

Ireland charges man over explosives found near Northern Ireland border

Irish authorities have charged a second man in connection with the discovery of an explosive device found inside a vehicle near the border with Northern Ireland, as police investigate what they described as suspected dissident republican activity.

The man, who is in his forties, was charged with possession of explosives and was due to appear before a court in Dublin on Saturday evening, according to the Irish police.

The arrest follows the earlier charging of the vehicle’s driver, 25-year-old law student Isobella Perrie Sullivan, who was detained after police stopped the car during an operation. Authorities said Semtex, a powerful explosive material, and a detonator were discovered in a bag located in the rear of the vehicle.

During court proceedings, Sullivan’s lawyer said his client had allegedly been asked to transport the bag to the North without being informed of its contents.

Police said the vehicle was identified during an operation targeting what they described as “dissident republican activity” and called the discovery a highly significant development.

The case has revived concerns over the continued presence of small republican dissident groups more than two decades after the Good Friday Agreement brought an official end to the decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland.

The conflict, known as the Troubles, pitted Irish republican nationalists seeking a united Ireland against loyalists and unionists supporting continued membership of the United Kingdom. The main republican paramilitary organization, the Irish Republican Army (IRA), formally ended its armed campaign and decommissioned weapons in 2005.

Although large-scale violence has largely ended, sporadic attacks linked to dissident factions have continued. Earlier this year, Northern Irish police attributed two attacks targeting police stations near Belfast to republican dissident groups. No casualties were reported.

The ongoing investigation is expected to determine the origin of the explosives, the intended purpose of the device and the potential involvement of other individuals.