Bomber targets sports and social premises at Limerick in ‘error’

THE SPORTS and social club at Aughinish Alumina was targeted by a bomber on Friday in error, Limerick Live has learned.

The suspect device found at the premises on Friday was a “viable bomb”. The attack was treated as a “serious threat to human life” due to its proximity to staff members and members of the public. 

Gardai, Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team and Limerick Fire and Rescue personnel all rushed to the scene near Foynes.

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The sports and social club is located on the way into the 1,300 acre industrial plant but is not within the security perimeter. It is a popular location for walkers to park up and go for a stroll on a nature trail along the south bank of the Shannon Estuary.

It is understood that two canisters were strapped to a fuel tank which services the sports and social club. It is believed that a timing mechanism or a battery was also attached.

A security cordon of some 350 metres was put in place by gardai and Defence Forces. This resulted in around 100 employees not being able to leave until around midnight - hours after their shift concluded. Similarly, those due to start working the night shift were not able to commence their duties at the normal time.

A suspect, aged in his 40s, was arrested on Sunday evening during an operation involving national, regional and local garda units in County Monaghan. He is being linked to planting bombs in five water supply sites - two in Northern Ireland and three in the Republic of Ireland.

He was detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 at a garda station in the north west. Gardai questioned the man regarding his alleged targeting of water supply sites.

He was released without charge this Tuesday.

A garda spokesperson said a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions and "the investigation remains ongoing".

One source told Limerick Live: “The sports and social club is in the same area as the Shannon Estuary Water Treatment Plant. 

“He must have got the wrong building as he’s not from the area.”

There were initial fears that the bomb attack was connected to the Russia-Ukraine war as Alumina Aughinish is owned by the Russian company Rusal.

Hours before the bomb was planted, waves of drone and missile attacks targeted Ukraine’s capital Kyiv in the largest aerial attack since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, injuring 23 people and inflicting severe damage across multiple districts of the capital in a seven-hour onslaught.

However, this is now being treated as a coincidence and the bomb attack is not being linked to the ongoing war.

The plant has been vandalised in recent years, including a paint attack at the entrance in 2022 which was investigated by gardai.

A garda spokesperson said gardaí were alerted following the discovery of a suspect device at a premises near Foynes, County Limerick on Friday, July 4 at approximately 3.30pm.

“A cordon was established and the Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team attended the scene. 

“The EOD team examined the suspect device which has now been removed from the scene for further examination,” said the garda spokesperson.

A technical examination of the scene was carried out on Saturday morning.

A Defence Forces spokesperson said: “Following an assessment, the EOD team confirmed the device was viable. 

“It was rendered safe. The EOD team then handed the scene over to gardai," said a Defence Forces spokesperson.

Aughinish - the largest alumina refinery in Europe - produces approximately 1.9 million tonnes per annum of product that is the primary raw material for the production of aluminium.

It is a major employer in west Limerick with upwards of 400 staff members. 

The company was asked for comment.