Dissident terrorist 'determined to buy arms'

A leading dissident republican duped by an MI5 agent posing as an arms dealer was found guilty today of trying to smuggle a huge cache of weapons and explosives into the North.

Paul McCaugherty (aged 43), from Lurgan, County Armagh, had no idea the arsenal he agreed to buy for more than €100,000 did not exist and he was instead being targeted by British security services in a two-year undercover sting operation.