Five dissident republicans held after arms find
The items were found in two cars stopped and searched by the emergency response unit (ERU), supported by local gardaí, in Dundalk and Ardee, Co Louth, at around 11.30 yesterday morning. Five men, aged from their mid-20s to mid-50s, were being questioned in stations at Dundalk and Drogheda in Louth, and Balbriggan in north Dublin, arising from the seizures.
The firearm and a balaclava were found in the car stopped on Ecco Road in Dundalk, leading to two of the arrests. The three other men were detained after ammunition and a balaclava were found in the second car. All five are held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act which allows gardaí to keep them in custody for 72 hours.
