Army bomb disposal unit intercepts suspicious device addressed to Alan Shatter

THE army bomb disposal unit has intercepted a suspicious device addressed to Justice Minister Alan Shatter.

It is understood that the interception took place this morning, but details remain vague and it is unclear if the device was sent to Mr Shatter's home in Ballinteer in Dublin.

Meanwhile, Rathfarnham garda station was evacuated earlier because of a suspicious device.

It is not yet clear whether the incidents are connected.

More to follow.

This morning's interception comes a week after the discovery of a package containing white powder, a Nazi photograph and a swastika emblem at Mr Shatter's home.

A major security alert was put in place after the sinister threat was discovered shortly after 9am last Wednesday.

The army bomb disposal team was dispatched to Mr Shatter's South Dublin home shortly before 10am.

The white powder sent to Mr Shatter's home in an envelope was identified as baking powder after being tested by gardai.

The swastika appeared in an image of Nazi soldiers at a rally, which was contained in the envelope. It was a picture of soldiers at a rally with a series of Nazi-swastika flags.

Last week Mr Shatter faced a vote of no confidence in the Dail in relation to various controversy that hit the Justice Department in recent months.

However, the minister survived a vote of no confidence, winning with 95 votes to 51.

Source-Irish Independent