Sgt. Tom Carey of the Garda Siochana ballistics department displaying a home-made rocket confiscated in the Courtown area last year.

Gardaí seized a home-made rocket as part of an operation tackling dissident republicans in Courtown last year and a Garda ballistics expert said that while the rocket “appeared crude, it could do damage.”

The rocket, which was capable of being indiscriminately aimed with a pound of explosives on board, was one of a number of four home-made weapons, using specifications found on the internet, which was put on display last week by An Garda Siochána.

The device was based on a Qassam rocket which is popular with Hamas militants in Palestine.

Describing the rocket, Sergeant Tom Carey, said: “It’s primitive stuff, but it works.”

Sgt Carey said the rocket would likely hold a kilo of Semtex explosives in its warhead and was capable of causing widespread damage.

Sgt Carey likened the rocket to a V1 rocket from World War II; “There is no aiming, just point, press and hope.”

Full story this week in THE GOREY ECHO.