Guns and bombs found on Co. Monaghan

Gardaí targeting dissident republicans have uncovered a major cache of guns and bomb-making equipment in a search near the border.

Several firearms were among the arsenal, including AK47 assault rifles, as well as mortars, detonators, and explosives.

The haul, made in Co Monaghan, is part of an ongoing investigation by the Special Detective Unit — the force’s anti-terror branch.

The search operation was led by the SDU, backed up by the Emergency Response Unit, local teams, and the dog unit.

The find is thought to include two handguns and two AK47s. The cache follows the arrest of a man last week in the area.

A Garda spokesman said: “As a result of an operation targeting dissident republican activity in the border region on November 25 searches were commenced in the Scotstown area of County Monaghan by members of the Special Detective Unit, the Emergency Response Unit, the Garda Dog Unit and members from the Cavan/Monaghan divisional search team.

“These searches have resulted in the recovery of a number of firearms including AK47 assault rifles, mortars, detonators, detonating cord, and other component parts of IEDs.”

He said searches were ongoing in the area, which is a few kilometres from Monaghan town on one side and a few kilometres from the border with the North on the other side.

The items will be transferred to the Garda Technical Bureau at Garda Headquarters in Dublin. They will undergo detailed ballistic, as well as DNA and fingerprint examination.

The investigation is being overseen by Security and Intelligence section at Garda Headquarters. The group linked to the haul is thought to be connected with dissidents in the Lurgan area across the border.