OMAGH BOMB HUNTERS FIND CACHE
OMAGH BOMB HUNTERS FIND CACHE
Arms haul tests set to trace terror group
By Michael Devine
in Dublin
FORENSIC tests were being carried out today on a haul of terrorist arms found in Co Monaghan by gardai hunting the Omagh bombers.
The cache, which included a general purpose machine gun. five rifles and three handguns, were contained in two plastic barrels buried in a stone ditch on a farm near Carrickmacross.
The haul also included a large quantity of assorted ammunition, detonators, homemade propulsion units for firing mortars and other bomb components.
Ballistic tests are expected to reveal whether the arms belonged to the Provisional IRA or republican dissidents.
They were found following an extensive search carried out by members of the Garda anti-terrorist units, including the Emergency Response Unit and the Special Branch, who have been stationed in Co Monaghan since the hunt for the Omagh bombers was launched.
They have been focussing their attention on the theft of the Donegal-registered Vauxhall Cavalier which was used in the Omagh atrocity. The car was stolen in Carrickmacross two days before the explosion.
The arms haul was the second find of terrorist arms by gardai this week. Last Monday a .22 rifle and a handgun were recovered during a search of a premises in Donaghmede, Dublin.
Meanwhile, nine of the 13 people detained for questioning by the RUC and the Garda in connection with the bombing are still in custody.
They were detained in co-ordinated swoops on premises on both sides of the border earlier this week.
Nine of them were picked up in dawn raids last Monday by heavily armed detectives - six in Co Armagh and three in Co Monaghan.
Three other men were arrested later on Monday in Co Monaghan and a woman was detained on Tuesday.
Five of those arrested in the Republic are members of the same family - father, mother and three sons.
The mother was released without charge last night and the father and two other suspects were released this morning.
The three sons are still detained in Monaghan garda station, where they are being questioned about the theft of the Cavalier.
Those arrested in the Republic were held under the Offences Against the State Act, which empowers gardai to detain them for up to 72 hours.
The three brothers will have to be either released or charged later today. The six men arrested in Co Armagh may be held for questioning for up to seven days.
Arms haul tests set to trace terror group
By Michael Devine
in Dublin
FORENSIC tests were being carried out today on a haul of terrorist arms found in Co Monaghan by gardai hunting the Omagh bombers.
The cache, which included a general purpose machine gun. five rifles and three handguns, were contained in two plastic barrels buried in a stone ditch on a farm near Carrickmacross.
The haul also included a large quantity of assorted ammunition, detonators, homemade propulsion units for firing mortars and other bomb components.
Ballistic tests are expected to reveal whether the arms belonged to the Provisional IRA or republican dissidents.
They were found following an extensive search carried out by members of the Garda anti-terrorist units, including the Emergency Response Unit and the Special Branch, who have been stationed in Co Monaghan since the hunt for the Omagh bombers was launched.
They have been focussing their attention on the theft of the Donegal-registered Vauxhall Cavalier which was used in the Omagh atrocity. The car was stolen in Carrickmacross two days before the explosion.
The arms haul was the second find of terrorist arms by gardai this week. Last Monday a .22 rifle and a handgun were recovered during a search of a premises in Donaghmede, Dublin.
Meanwhile, nine of the 13 people detained for questioning by the RUC and the Garda in connection with the bombing are still in custody.
They were detained in co-ordinated swoops on premises on both sides of the border earlier this week.
Nine of them were picked up in dawn raids last Monday by heavily armed detectives - six in Co Armagh and three in Co Monaghan.
Three other men were arrested later on Monday in Co Monaghan and a woman was detained on Tuesday.
Five of those arrested in the Republic are members of the same family - father, mother and three sons.
The mother was released without charge last night and the father and two other suspects were released this morning.
The three sons are still detained in Monaghan garda station, where they are being questioned about the theft of the Cavalier.
Those arrested in the Republic were held under the Offences Against the State Act, which empowers gardai to detain them for up to 72 hours.
The three brothers will have to be either released or charged later today. The six men arrested in Co Armagh may be held for questioning for up to seven days.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0431
Published Date: 24-Sep-98
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