A Dublin man (23) has been jailed for seven years for the possession of an improvised bomb found in his car when he was stopped by gardaí on the M50 motorway last year.
Martin O'Rourke, of Sheepmore Grove, Blanchardstown, Dublin, had pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing an explosive device at the Westlink toll bridge, Castleknock on December 8th, 2005.
Det Supt Diarmuid O'Sullivan told the Special Criminal court in Dublin that O'Rourke had been under surveillance when gardaí from the Special Detective Unit stopped his car on the M50 on suspicion that it was carrying explosives.
O'Rourke told armed gardaí who took him from the car that a bomb was in the back of the car. When they asked him what kind, he replied: "It's nitro something." He told them it was ready to go off in 15 minutes, adding: "Get me out of here."
Army bomb disposal units were called to the scene, and the Westlink toll plaza was closed down while necessary traffic diversions were put in place.
Army officers found a plastic bag and lunch box on the back seat of the car, along with metal piping, battery material, gun powder, parts of a clock, and a balaclava.
The components had been wired together to form an improvised explosive device, or pipe bomb, normally placed underneath the petrol tank of a car where it could do damage up to 250 metres away upon explosion.
Paul Burns SC, for the defence, said O'Rourke seemed to have been unaware as to the nature of explosives he had in his car. He also said he wrongly believed the bomb was due to explode in 15 minutes, as the device did not explode before disposal unit successfully destroyed it over half an hour later.
O'Rourke was on bail when stopped with the explosive device. He had been charged on November 16th 2004 with the unlawful use of a motorbike, handling a stolen jacket and helmet, dangerous driving and failing to stop when directed to do so by gardaí.
In sentencing, Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding at the three-judge court, said the device was "extremely dangerous".
He noted O'Rourke's refusal to co-operate and to reveal the origins of the bomb had left "many problems" for the gardaí as part of their investigations.
He said the most significant mitigating factor was that O'Rourke had expressed remorse and had apologised, promising not to be involved with firearms or explosives upon his release, nor to associate himself with people who do.
The seven-year sentence is to begin at the end of his current two-year sentence, which finishes in June 2007.