Queen Elizabeth II caught in bomb-scare prior to Irish-visit

Dublin, May 17: As they say, 'Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown", the fact justified when the head of British Royal Monarchy Queen Elizabeth II had to encounter a bomb scare prior to her visit to Ireland. Luckily, the bomb was diffused before it could inflict any damage.

The queen was on her way to Ireland on a four-day trip to seek better relations between the neighboring states. This was when security personnel found a bomb near Dublin and suspects it as the handiwork of hardline republicans. This is the first such visit by a British monarch since 1922.

The visit aimed to strengthen the peace achieved by the British-ruled Northern Ireland, but the rebel republicans also poses a major threat hampering peace in the region. The Irish police commented that a 'viable explosive device' was found in a bus in Maynooth, near Dublin. The matter was investigated further that led to the revelation, and the fact came to light after a tip-off.

With the recently concluded Royal Wedding under intense security cover following possible threats from Muslim radicals and Irish hardliners, the event went off smoothly without any casualties. The threat was prevailing however, since this event comes a day after a coded bomb threat in central London by dissident paramilitaries were made outside Northern Ireland, making it the first such incident in 10 years.

The police cordoned off roads near the sovereign's Buckingham Palace residence and carried out a controlled explosion. The protestors against the Queen"s visit that includes hardcore republicans demand that the British-ruled Northern Ireland must be part of a Republic. Though this group constitutes a minority, forces are looking to it that the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip have a glitch-free trip.

An estimated 10,000-strong force has been deployed at a cost of 30 million euros ($42 million) off the Dublin coast to prevent a possible missile strike from the sea.

OneIndia News