The army bomb disposal team arrive to examine the scene of yesterday’s explosion.
Gardai have identified a chief suspect after a booby-trap bomb exploded under a jeep in Letterkenny yesterday.
Extensive damage was caused to a Mitsubishi Pajero jeep which was parked outside a house on the Manor View Park housing estate off Long Lane.
Residents inside the houses close to the scene were not hurt but were left terrified by the attack.
No arrests have yet been made in the investigation.
Gardai rushed to the scene and a number of homes were immediately evacuated after the loud blast just before 4am.
Gardai cordoned off the area for fear that there may be other undetonated devices nearby.
The Army Technical Bomb Unit was summoned from Finner Camp army base in Ballyshannon to carry out a full investigation of the scene.
The unit spent two hours at the scene but later left after removing a number of objects from the scene.
No arrests have yet been made but Garda are working on a theory that the man whose car was attacked may know his attacker.
The victim is a married man in his 60s with three grown-up children.
Speaking at the scene, Inspector Pat O’Donnell said “I can confirm there has been an explosion under a vehicle in this area.
“We have sealed off the scene and we have asked for the assistance of the army technical officers in case there are secondary devices in the area.
“I would ask anyone who may have info on what happened here this morning to contact Gardai at Letterkenny.
“We are currently carrying out house to house enquiries and I can tell you that there is some CCTV footage in the area which we are also studying,” he said.
Gardai also said they would like to speak to the driver of a silver car seen in the area just before the blast.
Local Town councillor Cllr McMonagle, who lives locally, says he does not understand why the device was planted.
“The reality is that this is a housing estate and totally innocent people including schoolchildren could have been killed.
“I am not sure for the reasons behind it but such actions cannot be justified.
“We hear of these things happening in the north but not in Co Donegal and not on a busy housing estate in Letterkenny.
“I would appeal to anyone who knows anything about this incident to contact the Gardai,” he said.
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