'Bomb-making equipment' found

Police investigating dissident republican activities in the border area have found a second haul of suspected bomb-making equipment…

Police investigating dissident republican activities in the border area have found a second haul of suspected bomb-making equipment.

The PSNI said the find was made last night during ongoing searches in the South Armagh area.

It was the second haul of suspected bomb-making equipment found yesterday by police in the area.

Officers involved in the joint Garda-PSNI investigation carried out a number of searches in the south of the county following an earlier seizure of arms and ammunition near Keady.

The latest find comes after the PSNI issued an alert warning that dissident republicans are intent on murdering more of its police officers "in the coming days and weeks". Security has been tightened across Northern Ireland as a result.

The bomb material finds brought no further arrests and police have not provided details of the locations of those
discoveries.

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Three people are still in custody after a substantial haul of guns and ammunition was recovered on Friday after a vehicle was stopped and searched in Co Armagh.

The three men arrested were at the scene, near Keady, and were taken for questioning to the PSNI's serious crimes suite in Antrim.

The police service took the unusual step on Friday of issuing a statement urging the public to be vigilant for such attacks over Easter.

The warning to policemen was issued last night after a new dissident grouping, reported to be comprised of former Provisional IRA members, said it murdered Constable Kerr in Omagh three weeks ago.

The new group styling itself "the IRA" said it was responsible for the "recent execution of the RUC (sic) member in Omagh".

In a statement to Friday's Belfast Telegraph the group also said it was planning more killings and bombings. It said it was totally separate from other dissident groups such as the Real IRA/Óglaigh na hÉireann and the Continuity IRA.

Police urged anyone who saw suspicious activity to report it to the PSNI. "If you see anything which does not look right or causes you concern, please contact police."

A 33-year-old man who was arrested by PSNI detectives investigating the dissident republican murder of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr appeared at Dungannon Magistrates Court in Co Tyrone yesterday.

Gavin Coyle was charged with possession of firearms and explosives with intent to endanger life and possession of articles likely to be of use in terrorism.