Gardai made another arrest today as part of their ongoing operations against dissident republicans. After three days of countrywide sweeps, a total of eight men suspected of paramilitary activities are now being questioned.
The latest arrest was made in the Limerick area, and the man is being held at Henry Street Garda station. Gardai would not comment on reports that the chief of staff of the Real IRA and two members of its ruling council were among those arrested. "The arrests are as a result of an increased threat from dissident republicans and are directly connected with the finding of bomb-making equipment in Dublin on Thursday," the spokesman said.
Gardai said a man in his forties, who was held in Ballyfermot on Thursday, had been released but a file recommending charges had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Bomb making equipment, including detonators, a timer and semtex explosive, was also. In recent weeks police intelligence gathering and surveillance has been intensified in a bid to thwart plans to launch a new terrorist offensive in Northern Ireland.
On Friday, seven men aged between 32 and 50 were arrested in Dublin, Donegal in the north-west and Louth in the north-east. Since the Offences Against the State laws were strengthened after the 1998 Omagh bombing by the Real IRA, suspects can be held for 72 hours without charge.
