Probe into whether bomb found near Russian-owned company was reaction to attacks on Ukraine
On last Thursday night and into Friday, Russia launched its largest-ever aerial bombardment on Ukraine's capital Kyiv since invading the country in February 2022.
On Friday afternoon,
a bomb was discovered attached to a fuel tank that services the Russian-owned Aughnish 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 bomb is believed to have included a battery-timed mechanism so that it could be detonated long after the perpetrators had left the area.
It's understood that up to 100 staff at the Rusal-owned Aughinish refinery were unable to leave the plant 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' to the scene 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 read: 'On Friday evening, bomb experts from the Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team responded to a request for assistance from An Garda Síochána (AGS) 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 were on scene for a total of six hours, from arrival on scene at 6:58pm, Friday, to departure at 1:04am, Saturday 5 July.
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Security sources said CCTV will play a huge role in the ongoing investigation in attempting to discover who was behind the bomb threat.
Aerial view of Aughinish Alumina Refinery on the Shannon River, Co Limerick.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
The area around and inside the alumina refinery plant is heavily populated with security cameras and gardaí hope to secure video footage that may assist them in tracking and apprehending those behind the bomb.
A garda spokeswoman confirmed Sunday that the scene had been lifted and the area was safe.
The area where the bomb was found is located close to a publicly accessible nature walking trail.
A source said investigating gardai were examine one of many lines of enquiry, including the possibility that the bomb may have been a direct response to Russian missile attacks in Kyiv, last 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, a close associate of the Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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 then on Russian metals would have no impact on its ability to supply aluminum 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 at Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Aughinish Alumina which employs 450 people at its Askeaton refinery, has been contacted for comment.
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