Dublin city centre came to a virtual standstill yesterday when a high-security Garda operation was launched in response to what turned out to be a false alarm. Four members of one family were later interviewed about their involvement in the alert, which brought heavily armed gardai from the Special Branch and the anti-terrorist Emergency Response Unit rushing to the scene.
Shortly before 9 a.m. a man standing outside the Irish Dance Wear shop in Capel Street flagged down a patrol car. According to Garda sources, the man told members of the patrol that his father and two brothers were lying on the floor of the shop and appeared to be in danger. The man, who is in his early 20s and lives in a nearby apartment, had been contacted by his father earlier yesterday morning. He broke the glass doors of the shop trying to get in. Members of the patrol unit took out two boys, aged 14 and 16, who appeared to be unhurt and found their father crouched behind the counter. Apparently he told gardai that he believed a number of gunmen were upstairs in the four-storey building. The gardai called for back-up.
Bystanders were moved away, and the Garda helicopter hovered overhead when members of the Emergency Response Unit and Special Branch detectives entered the building about 9.45 a.m.
"It was like a scene from a film. Men in black gear and flak jackets seemed to appear out of nowhere," said a worker in the nearby wholesale fruit market.
Chief Supt Ignatius Rice said armed gardai secured and searched the building, but found neither men nor guns. Up to nine people, including the father and his three sons, were questioned at the Bridewell and Store Street Garda stations.
Irish Dance Wear opened in Capel Street 10 days ago. The man who raised the alarm and his two brothers live in a flat above the shop, for which he was providing security. Detectives were last night trying to find out why he caused the alert. Gardai say charges could be brought.
During the two-hour incident business in the busy markets area was severely disrupted as heavy morning traffic was diverted from Capel Street into the markets and Jervis Street. Traffic throughout the city was also affected as Capel Street is a major north-south route.
Tip Top florists in East Arran Street was one of many businesses disrupted. A spokesman said they could not send delivery vans out as the markets were "choked with traffic".
The operation, including security costs and loss of business, is expected to run to thousands of pounds.