Four men were arrested after a major garda operation led to the discovery of a large quantity of home made explosives near the border last year, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Dissident republican terror suspects were close to completing a bomb twice the size of the device which killed 29 people in the Omagh atrocity when gardaí swooped, a court heard today.

Four men charged in connection with the discovery of explosives finds during garda raids in Co Louth last week were further remanded when they appeared before the Special Criminal Court today.