Nine held in NI arms swoop

Nine men were arrested today and three weapons recovered after a major police operation in a loyalist estate on the outskirts of north Belfast.

Paramilitary-style clothing and Ulster Volunteer Force regalia were also recovered during the raid on a disused shop in the Monkstown Estate in Newtownabbey.

Acting Assistant Chief Constable for the Belfast Region Maggie Hunter described the find as significant and said some of those arrested were known to police.

She said: “In addition to the firearms that we recovered, we’ve also recovered items of paramilitary clothing and some regalia which we would believe to be associated with the UVF.

“Some of those arrested are known to police but at this stage I wouldn’t want to comment any further on those individuals.”

The arrests and seizures come just a day after the UVF cut its contacts with the arms decommissioning body and claimed its commitment to the peace process was under strain.

However, Ms Hunter said the investigation was still at a very early stage and police were not yet sure of the intentions of those who were arrested.

She said the three rifles recovered during the lunchtime raids were being forensically examined.

Ms Hunter said today’s operation showed that police were determined to crackdown on all paramilitary groups.

“In recent months we have been directing a huge number of resources against the activities of the Ulster Defence Association,” she said.

“I think today’s operation demonstrates that we don’t ignore the activities of other organisations and we will continue to work against and strike at those organisations from whatever quarter.” SDLP MLA and policing spokesman Alex Attwood welcomed the results of the security operation.

He said: “There is no doubt that in recent months the police have been cracking down on loyalist paramilitaries.

“Today’s arrests and seizures are further evidence of that co-ordinated clamp down on loyalist paramilitaries.

“The SDLP has continuously called on the police to pursue and prosecute those paramilitaries responsible for terrorising communities and devastating lives.

“Efforts must continue to ensure that all paramilitaries are shut down and put behind bars.”