Explosives and bomb-making equipment have been discovered at 12 different locations in the Northern Ireland town of Larne.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed on Tuesday that it had found a “significant amount of terrorist material” during a search operation in the County Antrim port town.
The PSNI said the find included explosive devices and bomb-making parts as well as chemicals, ammunition and a gun. The searches across the County Antrim port town were a joint operation between the PSNI and the Metropolitan police.
Among the locations searched around Larne today was a disused quarry and a number of addresses in the town.
The PSNI assistant chief constable in charge of anti-terrorist police operations in Northern Ireland said that the Larne and the entire province is “safer in general as a result” of these latest finds.
Two major hauls of weapons were uncovered in March and May of this year at two wooded areas outside Larne.
Last month a Royal Marine, Ciaran Maxwell, was arrested in connection with terrorism, fraud and drug offences. The 30-year-old solider, originally from Larne, pleaded not guilty on Monday to the drug and fraud charges, which will be tried in conjunction with the alleged terrorism offences at the Old Bailey on 19 September.
