Gardai uncover terrorist training base

Gardai investigating the activities of dissident republican terrorists tonight uncovered a suspected paramilitary training camp.

The development followed the arrests of two men in an operation based in Ireland’s midland counties of Kildare, Laois and Carlow that has been going on secretly for a number of days after being sparked by intelligence information.

The pair held for questioning were detained under the terms of the Offences Against the State Act anti-terrorist legislation by members of the Gardai’s Special Detective Unit in the neighbouring Co Kildare towns of Naas and Newbridge.

The moves - also involving the Garda special branch and air support officers using specialist search equipment - marked the latest in a series of swoops aimed at hardline republicans linked to two paramilitary groups, the Real IRA - the organisation responsible for the 1998 mass murder bomb attack on Omagh, Co Tyrone - and the Continuity IRA.

Photographs and other equipment were found at the apparent training base.