Boy who picked up pipe bomb could lose up to seven fingers

A BOY who was injured when a pipe bomb exploded after he picked it up outside his house has lost four fingers on one hand and may lose three on the other. He also sustained burn injuries to his body and face.

The injured boy, who is 5½, was putting on his bicycle helmet and was preparing to bring his bike into school for an event yesterday morning when he saw the pipe outside his Co Wicklow home.

Garda sources say the family is not known to them.

Gardaí believe it had been fitted with a motion-based ignition mechanism that caused the explosive material in it to explode within seconds of it being moved when the boy picked it up.

The incident occurred just after 8.30am when the child, whose name is widely known but has not been used by some media outlets, was in the front garden of his home at Sycamore Drive in Newtownmountkennedy.

He went into the front garden and driveway area to get his bike for a “cycle to school” day as part of National Bike Week when he saw the device just feet from the hall door.

The explosion badly injured both of his hands. He was taken by ambulance to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, where he underwent surgery. However, he has lost four fingers on one hand and the condition of three fingers on his other hand is being monitored.

The Irish Times understands the blast from the explosion also burned his arm, face and neck.

The boy lives in the house with his mother, a younger brother and teenage sister.

His father does not live at the property, although he is believed to live in the local area.

Gardaí believe the device was left either on or beside the doorstep of the house sometime late on Tuesday night or in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The motive for the attack is unclear and Garda sources said there is no apparent reason why anybody in the house or connected with it would be targeted.

Gardaí have not ruled out the possibility that the pipe bomb was left outside the property by mistake by somebody who picked the wrong house.

Detectives are speaking to family members to try and determine if anyone linked to the house has become involved in any disputes of late, even over a minor issue, which might have made them a target for attack.

However, no motive had been established last night.

An incident last year in which a pipe bomb was found outside a house in the area is also being examined to try and determine if it is linked to yesterday’s explosion.

A major investigation has been launched into the incident, with local gardaí being aided by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The Special Detective Unit, which normally investigates terrorist activity, has also been drafted in. However, Garda sources said that unit’s help had been sought because of its experience in dealing with criminals specialising in making pipe bombs and not because any dissident link is suspected.

The Army’s bomb disposal team performed a post-blast analysis of the scene and the remains of the device have been gathered and are being analysed by Garda ballistics experts.

Gardaí in Bray are leading the investigation.