A man arrested after a Semtex packed bomb was intercepted by gardai works at a prestigious Irish government-funded organisation.
The man in his 40s was being questioned by gardai in the Dublin area on Friday evening.
He was detained after a bomb was recovered by gardai when a car was stopped on the main Dublin to Derry road near Carrickmacross on Wednesday.
Isobella Perrie Sullivan (25), from Kildare, appeared in a court in Co Meath on Friday evening charged in connection with the bomb.
The woman is studying to train as a barrister in Dublin.
It is understood the male suspect works at a high-profile organisation located close to Dublin city centre.
The car in which the bomb was being transported is believed to have been making its way to the north-west when it was intercepted by gardai.
Garda sources have described the bomb as “highly sophisticated” and “advanced”.
The device contained suspected military-grade explosives, which the court was told was believed to be Semtex.
It is believed the potentially deadly explosive is historic.
During the Troubles, Libyan-sourced Semtex was used regularly by the Provisional IRA.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly confirmed details of the operation.
“To be clear, what we found was an extremely significant seizure,” he said.
“So this was an explosive device,” he said.
“Any seizure of this nature is really concerning.
“However, we certainly know that there are a small minority of dissident republicans who did not agree with the Good Friday Agreement, they did not put weapons and explosives (out of use), they didn’t, you know, go through with the proper process in relation to decommissioning.
“So that is something that we continue to deal with.”
Ms Perrie Sullivan, who is represented by Gavin Booth of Phoenix Law, was granted bail provided she obtains a €15,000 independent surety, surrenders her passport, provides her phone number to gardaí, signs on daily at Naas Garda Station and observes a nighttime curfew.
The attempt to bring the bomb into the north comes after the New IRA claimed responsibility for exploding a car bomb outside Dunmurry PSNI station in April.
That attack came just weeks after a delivery driver was ordered by the New IRA to take a bomb to Lurgan PSNI station, which failed to detonate.