Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins had to be evacuated from his official residence in his pajamas after an alleged IRA bomb threat made in a phone call to the Samaritans.
Police rushed the President and his wife Sabina from Aras an Uachtarain, their Phoenix Park home, in the middle of Tuesday night.
A report in the Irish Independent says President Higgins was moved to a safe area of the estate while officers dealt with the threat.
The full-scale emergency evacuation plan was activated following a phone threat late on Tuesday night.
The alarm was raised following a call to the Samaritans helpline at around 10pm.
The speaker, now believed to be a teenage prankster, reportedly warned; “There is a bomb set to go off in Aras an Uachtarain to kill the President.
“It’s set for 12.32am. IRA, IRA.”
The report says senior police officers took the decision to wake President Higgins (72) up, as armed detectives were sent from local stations to Phoenix Park.
An armed guard protected the president and his wife as they waited until their security personnel received the all-clear.
The report adds that the President was said to be ‘gracious’ for his security’s quick decision.
Police investigating the threat believe it could have been a hoax by a young teenager.
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