Man and wife held in Real IRA investigation

THREE people — including a man and wife — were arrested yesterday as part of a major investigation into a dissident republican faction in Dublin.

Yesterday’s planned operation, involving up to 100 armed and unarmed officers from Dublin North Central division, backed up by the anti-terrorist Special Detective Unit, was linked to an investigation into a long-running turf war between the so-called Real IRA and drugs gangs.

It is believed the searches were part of an effort to put a squeeze on a Real IRA gang which is led by two brothers.