Car bomb 'to scare crimelord' EXPLOSIVES LAWLESS IRELAND Gardai in frontline as fight to reclaim the streets is stepped up.

Byline: By GARY ANDERSON, Crime Reporter

A CAR bomb may have been planted by gangland thugs to scare a feared crime boss, gardai claimed yesterday.

Officers were called to a residential street in South Dublin after a member of the public spotted the device as parents took their children to school.

The package was under a car. Gardai called the bomb squad at 9.50am and homes were evacuated while experts examined the improvised device.

A controlled explosion was carried out after they established the device was not a hoax.

Army experts said the bomb would be subject to a examination and then handed to gardai.

Detectives were last night working to establish a motive for the attack in Stanaway Road, Crumlin.

Officers believe the bomb was placed under a car used by innocent individuals who may have been known to a crime lord.

A Garda source said: "This device could easily have killed or maimed.

The fear is this will spark a new wave of tit-for-tat attacks between feuding gangs in South Dublin."

CAPTION(S):

ALERT Stanaway Road, Crumlin, Dublin, yesterday; DANGER Bomb disposal squad were called to scene