Ireland: Suspicious package found at Limerick post office March 22 /update 1

Event

A suspicious package was found at a Limerick postal sorting office on Friday morning (local time), March 22, prompting the building's evacuation. The parcel reportedly resembled others sent to addresses in London and to the University of Glasgow in recent weeks - incidents attributed to an Irish republican dissident group claiming to be the "New Irish Republican Army" (New IRA). Similar incidents are possible in Ireland and the UK over the coming weeks.

Context

Multiple suspicious packages were reported across the London area on the morning of March 5, including at the Compass Centre in Hounslow near Heathrow Airport (LHR), Waterloo station, and the grounds of London City Airport (LCY), and at the University of Glasgow (Scotland) on March 6. Officials confirmed police found improvised explosive devices (IED) placed in envelopes, which were designed to ignite a small fire when opened.

The Real Irish Republican Army, also known as the New IRA, first formed in 1997, is a dissident Irish republican paramilitary organization active since 2012. The group, which claims to be a successor to the Irish Republican Army and has rejected the Good Friday Agreement, is banned in Ireland and is designated a terrorist organization in the US and UK.

Advice

Individuals in Ireland are advised to monitor developments to the situation and report suspicious objects or behavior to the police.