A garda on the road to the sorting centre in Clondalkin. Photo: Damien Eagers

A massive security alert was sparked at a Dublin mail centre after a suspect package, allegedly sent by jihadis and addressed to the Taoiseach, was found.

A major operation began shortly after 4pm in west Dublin after the suspect package was discovered in the An Post centre near the Nangor Road, Clondalkin. The Irish Independent has learned that concerns were raised about the package as it was signed off as being sent from 'The Soldiers of Allah'.

The package, roughly the size of a shoebox, was addressed to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, although it is understood that no exact address was written on the package.

Last night, after several hours of examinations, the package was declared a hoax.

Gardaí from Clondalkin were alerted and sealed off the scene before a decision was made to request the Army Bomb Disposal Unit to attend.

A Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit arrived after 5pm.

Members of the specially trained unit examined the device for some time and a remote controlled robot was also used to carry out an examination.

However, shortly before 9pm last night, the device was declared a hoax and the scene was declared safe.

A senior source last night told the Irish Independent that gardaí would carry out investigations in an effort to establish who was responsible for causing the significant security alert. "This is a very serious incident where you have a package deliberately put together to create panic aimed at the Taoiseach.

"An investigation is under way which will attempt to establish who was behind this, and if it is somebody playing a joke or if there are more sinister elements responsible," the source added.

Irish Independent