INLA link suspected in bomb hoax

Organised criminals with links to the INLA are suspected of having been behind an elaborate bomb hoax at the home of the Sunday World crime editor, Paul Williams, early yesterday. Mr Williams and his family are now under 24-hour Garda protection.

The person who attached the device to Mr Williams's car was captured on a CCTV camera at the reporter's Dublin home.

The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, condemned those who planted the device. Mr Williams said Garda protection had recently been withdrawn from his home following a cut by Mr McDowell in the overtime budget.

However, a spokesman for the Minister said an additional €2 million had been made available last week for Garda overtime. He added that any decision to take gardaí from protection duty at Mr Williams's home was a Garda matter.

"It has nothing whatsoever to do with the Minister," he said.

Mr Williams and his family, along with about 140 other residents, were evacuated from their homes in Walkinstown, south Dublin, after a passing garda noticed the device at about 3 a.m. while on patrol in the area.

The Army's bomb-disposal team were called in and carried out a controlled explosion. Residents were allowed to return at 5 a.m.

The device did not contain explosives but had been constructed in every other respect like a genuine car-bomb. It contained a battery, wires, putty and a circuit board

The incident is the latest in a series of threats against the reporter. Two weeks ago acid was poured over his car.

Last Christmas gardaí foiled an attempt by criminals to fire a shot at Mr Williams's house. Those behind the botched attack are believed to be linked to the drug-dealer John Gilligan.

Mr Williams told The Irish Times gardaí had also discovered that elements involved in the Limerick feud planned to target him earlier this year.

He vowed to continue his work as a crime journalist despite yesterday's events.

"I'm staying at this. I don't care what these bastards want to do to me, I am staying here. They are not going to take us on and they are not going to tell us to stop because there is the right of free speech in this country. We have a right to tell the people what's going on."

He urged those behind the hoax to stop buying the Sunday World if they disapproved of his reporting. He said he had the full support of his wife and two children in continuing to pursue his career with the newspaper.

Labour's justice spokesman, Mr Joe Costello TD, said the incident was a sinister attempt to intimidate a courageous journalist who had done much to expose the leaders of criminal gangs.

"This must be a very worrying development for Paul Williams and his family, but it also has serious implications for society generally," he said. "This incident once again points to the power of these gangs and their belief they can operate with little fear of being called to account."