The innocent sister of a man who was lucky to escape with his life when he was targeted in a botched assassination attempt had a pipe bomb placed at her door in a sinister attack.
Gardai are investigating all aspects of the pipe bomb incident at the woman's home in the Moneymore estate in Drogheda.
The threat emerged on Tuesday afternoon, ten weeks after her brother Shane Mooney (39) was shot and injured at his home in Dowth, Co Meath.
A motive for the incident in Drogheda this week has not yet been established but it may be linked to a previous pipe bomb attack in the same estate earlier this summer.
EVACUATED
A number of properties in the Moneymore neighbourhood had to be evacuated after the device was found.
The Army Bomb Disposal Team arrived on the scene at 1.40pm on Tuesday and road closures were put in place.
The device was made safe about 40 minutes later without the need for a controlled explosion and the area was declared safe.
The case was handed over to the Gardai. A senior source told the Herald that detectives are investigating whether this week's incident was linked to an incident last month where a pipe bomb was thrown through the front window of a house in the same estate.
While that improvised bomb was discovered at around 5am on June 1, it was several hours later before gardai were informed.
On that occasion, gardai confirmed that they became aware of the device at around 11am and called in an Army Bomb Disposal Unit.
Upon arrival it was discovered that the device had been moved to the front garden of the house.
Gardai evacuated the occupants of a number of surrounding houses and roads were closed.
CRUDE
A source said that both devices were "crude enough but capable of causing serious injury".
Meanwhile, it is understood that Shane Mooney is still getting treatment for the horrific injuries that he received in the failed assassination attempt at his rural home on April 27.
Mooney (39), was hit twice in the upper body and once in the leg at the house in the townland of Dowth near Slane at 9.45pm on the night.
In January 1999, he was convicted of malicious damage and given a three-month suspended sentence.
In February 2000, he was convicted of assault and fined €2,500, while in October 2002 he was convicted of threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and ordered to pay €500 compensation.
