GARDAÍ are investigating whether a “viable” bomb found near a Russian-owned alumina refinery located at Askeaton, County Limerick, last Friday (July 4) was a direct reaction to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.
On last Thursday night and into Friday, Russia launched its largest ever aerial bombardment on Ukrainian capital Kyiv since invading the country in February 2022.
That 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 explained that “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”.
“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 six hours.
Security sources said CCTV will play a huge role in the ongoing investigation into who was behind the bomb threat.
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 this Sunday (July 6) 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 Gardaí were examining 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.
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.
