Army Disposal Unit in Slí An Choíste Monksland Athlone last Tuesday after a suspicious device was found outside one the residents houses. Photo molloyphotography

Bomb terror in Athlone

About 40 houses in the Monksland area were evacuated yesterday (Tuesday) morning when a suspect device was found in the area. It was later confirmed that the device, most likely a pipe bomb, was viable. Gardai were dealing with an incident in the Sli an Coiste estate on the old Tuam Road yesterday morning when they became aware of a suspect device in the area and moved to evacuate the houses in the vicinity. Shortly after 9am residents in the area became aware of the situation when gardai asked them to leave their houses for an hour or two for their own safety. Two rows of houses in the estate were evacuated and a cordon was established preventing people from entering this section of the housing estate. Supt Aidan Glacken said the fact that the device was viable was of huge concern and described it as a reckless act that could have had massive consequences. He said: "There has been an increase in the use of pipe bombs in the country. It was found in a built up residential area and could have caused great harm. It was a reckless act." He explained: "We were dealing with an incident in the area and in the course of dealing with that incident we were made aware of a suspect device. As a precautionary measure we evacuated houses in the vicinity and the childcare facility. We would like to thank the public for their co-operation. I know it was early in the morning and people were getting children ready for school." Gardai then called in the Explosive Ordnance Device (EOD) unit from Custume Barracks, which arrived on the scene at about 9.45am. Soldiers established a cordon while the EOD team removed the device from the area. Residents who were gathered near the cordon and did not wish to be named said the estate, which was built in 2006, was generally quiet, but one resident said there had been some rows in the area recently. The Defence Forces confirmed yesterday afternoon that the device was viable. The EOD team removed the device from the area at about 10.30am and declared the area safe. Describing the act as inexcusable, Supt Glacken said: "The use of pipe bombs or improvised devices is totally unacceptable and the consequences could be massive for all concerned. The circumstances of how and why the device was there are being examined. We are following a number of lines of enquiry." He added that some form of engineering is required in making these improvised devices and asked people who are involved in light engineering work who are asked to make certain components to be mindful of the fact that these components could then be used for such purposes, pointing out that people could be making the components without realising they are to be used in an improvised explosive device. "This could have ended up in casualties of innocent people," said Supt Glacken. "There was a sizeable amount of recklessness and complete disregard for anyone's safety and wellbeing." The Defence Forces said yesterday afternoon that once it was removed from the scenec the device was made safe through the use of a controlled explosion on waste ground in the Athlone area. This is the 68th call out and the 21st viable IED made safe by Army Bomb Disposal Teams so far this year.