A 25-year-old law student has been charged with the possession of explosives following the discovery of a bomb in a vehicle in the Republic of Ireland. Isobella Perrie Sullivan, a resident of Abbeylands Park in Clane, County Kildare, appeared before a special sitting of the Trim District Court in County Meath on Friday evening.
The arrest followed an interception by gardaí (Irish police) on Wednesday near Carrickmacross, County Monaghan. According to a member of the Garda Special Detective Unit, officers stopped the car on the N2 at Aclint, south of Carrickmacross. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a bomb contained within a bag in the back of the car. The device, which was examined by the Irish Defence Forces and confirmed as a viable bomb, included a timing power unit, a detonator, and what is believed to be the plastic explosive Semtex.
Gardaí confirmed that the operation was part of a targeted effort against dissident republican activity. During the court hearing, a defence solicitor stated that his client, who lives with her father in County Kildare, had been asked to transport a bag to Northern Ireland and was unaware of its contents. The solicitor further noted that the accused is currently studying for a law degree with aspirations to become a barrister.
The judge indicated he would grant bail on the condition that Perrie Sullivan secures a €15,000 (£12,800) independent surety. Additional bail requirements include the surrender of her passport, adherence to a curfew, providing her phone number to authorities, and daily sign-ins at a garda station in County Kildare. Perrie Sullivan has been remanded in custody, with a follow-up bail hearing set for Monday.
