Army experts used a remote controlled robot equipped with a shotgun to defuse the device,which was believed to be connected to the battery of Mrs Flannery’s Ford LTD.
The car was parked near Arncliffe railway station,in Queen Street,where Mrs Flannery and her young son had visited a doctor’s surgery yesterday afternoon.
Mrs Flannery’s son had cut his hand,and had been taken to the doctor to check for infection. They left the surgery at 5.30 pm.
A man who had just left the surgery said:“She came out and ducked down near the back door,she said she saw a wire hanging down. She said,‘it’s gelignite,it’s a bomb’.”
Mrs Flannery immediately called the police,who in turn called in the Army Bomb Disposal Squad. An Army spokesman said:“We are not taking any chances;it could cause considerable damage.”
More than 200 residents of nearby flats and shops were evacuated immediately.
At 10.15 pm the remote controlled robot moved in,and defused the device with one shotgun blast. Army experts then examined the device to ensure it was safe.