>The New IRA are thought to have acquired Russian grenades stolen from the front line of the war in Ukraine.
Counter-terrorism officers in Northern Ireland seized weapons, including plastic explosives and the grenades, in Londonderry on Thursday.
“These items are military grade and we believe the intention was to mount attacks in an attempt to kill police officers,” said Mark McEwan, the assistant chief constable.
Two men and a woman were arrested in the raids, which followed intelligence that the terror group had obtained the arms and were planning to attack a police officer.
The arrests triggered riots in Londonderry, which led to 16 officers being injured.
> The unrest continued for a second night on Friday with petrol bombs being thrown at Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Land Rovers.
Officers seized two hand grenades, a handgun, more than 50 rounds of ammunition and over a kilogram of plastic explosives, as well as more than £2,000 in cash.
In February, two gunmen shot John Caldwell, an off-duty detective chief inspector. He survived the attack, which has been linked to the New IRA.
Sources told the Belfast Telegraph that the grenades found on Thursday were of a newer type used by the Russian army.
More and more weapons from the war in Ukraine were getting into the hands of criminal and paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, they said.
About 20,000 mercenaries from around the world travelled to fight with the Ukrainian army at the start of the war.
There has been an increase in stolen weaponry as many soldiers-for-hire left as the fighting intensified.
> “Not only was the intention here to kill and maim, but there is a total disregard for the wider community,” said Mr McEwan on Friday.
“These items were being stored in a residential area, in close proximity to a children’s play area,” he added, before describing the find as “extremely worrying” for the community and officers.
“Be assured that the success of this recovery demonstrates our dedication to pursuing these groups, the professionalism of our teams and our dogged determination to bring these people before the courts.”
Last month, the PSNI announced a huge data breach had led to details of almost 10,000 officers and staff.
The data has fallen into the hands of dissident republicans, which heightened security fears and contributed to the resignation of Chief Constable Simon Byrne last week.
Bad no doubt about that.
That said, I am more concerned with the number of MANPADs being supplied in this conflict and risks of losing one of those…
Not sure calling it “Londonderry” is particularly helpful.
Irish nationalist checking in here, these people are scumbags and I wish them nothing but lengthy prison sentences.
The new IRA are the least of our worries if they’re so freely purchased.
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>The New IRA are thought to have acquired Russian grenades stolen from the front line of the war in Ukraine.
Counter-terrorism officers in Northern Ireland seized weapons, including plastic explosives and the grenades, in Londonderry on Thursday.
“These items are military grade and we believe the intention was to mount attacks in an attempt to kill police officers,” said Mark McEwan, the assistant chief constable.
Two men and a woman were arrested in the raids, which followed intelligence that the terror group had obtained the arms and were planning to attack a police officer.
The arrests triggered riots in Londonderry, which led to 16 officers being injured.
> The unrest continued for a second night on Friday with petrol bombs being thrown at Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Land Rovers.
Officers seized two hand grenades, a handgun, more than 50 rounds of ammunition and over a kilogram of plastic explosives, as well as more than £2,000 in cash.
In February, two gunmen shot John Caldwell, an off-duty detective chief inspector. He survived the attack, which has been linked to the New IRA.
Sources told the Belfast Telegraph that the grenades found on Thursday were of a newer type used by the Russian army.
More and more weapons from the war in Ukraine were getting into the hands of criminal and paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, they said.
About 20,000 mercenaries from around the world travelled to fight with the Ukrainian army at the start of the war.
There has been an increase in stolen weaponry as many soldiers-for-hire left as the fighting intensified.
> “Not only was the intention here to kill and maim, but there is a total disregard for the wider community,” said Mr McEwan on Friday.
“These items were being stored in a residential area, in close proximity to a children’s play area,” he added, before describing the find as “extremely worrying” for the community and officers.
“Be assured that the success of this recovery demonstrates our dedication to pursuing these groups, the professionalism of our teams and our dogged determination to bring these people before the courts.”
Last month, the PSNI announced a huge data breach had led to details of almost 10,000 officers and staff.
The data has fallen into the hands of dissident republicans, which heightened security fears and contributed to the resignation of Chief Constable Simon Byrne last week.
Bad no doubt about that.
That said, I am more concerned with the number of MANPADs being supplied in this conflict and risks of losing one of those…
Not sure calling it “Londonderry” is particularly helpful.
Irish nationalist checking in here, these people are scumbags and I wish them nothing but lengthy prison sentences.
The new IRA are the least of our worries if they’re so freely purchased.
How much for few surface to air missiles?