Explosive device defused in central Dublin on day of informal EU leaders' summit

The device and the police response

Irish police were alerted on Friday, 13 November, to a suspicious object at an office building on Merrion Square in central Dublin. De Morgen puts the report at around 14:20 local time, which is 15:20 in Belgium, while La Libre says the call came shortly after 14:00. Police asked the Irish Army's explosive ordnance disposal service to attend. The soldiers judged the device to be 'primitive but functional' and rendered it harmless, after which police opened an investigation.

Two summits and a tight security perimeter

Dublin hosted two European gatherings within two days. On Thursday, 12 November, the European Political Community met in the city with about 50 European leaders. On Friday, 13 November, the capital hosted an informal summit of heads of state and government of the European Union, where the war in Ukraine was on the agenda. Authorities deployed an extensive security operation around the congress centre where the summits were held. The office building where the device was found stands near the French embassy.

Wider concerns over threats

The incident comes against a backdrop of concern in Europe over a series of false bomb alerts. Those hoax alerts have hit commercial flights, including services run by Ryanair and Aer Lingus, as well as schools and media outlets, including in Ireland. The articles do not link the Merrion Square device to those alerts. No arrests or suspects are reported so far, and the police investigation into the object is ongoing.