Two people arrested under anti-terrorism laws at Holyhead Port in Wales earlier this month are naturalised Irish citizens, it has emerged.
A 47-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, both Algerian-born, were arrested under Britain's Terrorism Act in Holyhead on Friday, August 11th.
Their arrests followed a UK intelligence-led operation, and it is understood the arrested man had been under surveillance by British police for some time.
He was also known to gardaí, but sources said yesterday he was not regarded as posing any significant threat.
The woman, who had been staying for some time at an address in Clondalkin, west Dublin, had travelled to Wales - where the two were to meet - on a ferry from Ireland.
The couple have four children, at least one of whom was born in the Republic. The arrested man is based mainly in Britain.
A Garda source said police in Holyhead seized a laptop computer and a disk containing bomb-making instructions.
Immediately after the arrests in Wales, UK police contacted the Garda to request the search of a house in Clondalkin. A Garda spokesman confirmed that "an action" was carried out on behalf of UK authorities.
While some documentation was examined, it is understood a thorough search of the property yielded little of interest to officers.
The two Irish citizens were still being questioned in north Wales yesterday. Last Thursday, they appeared at Holyhead Magistrates Court, where police were granted an extension to their detention period. Detectives must decide today whether to charge the man and woman, free them, or apply to the court for another extension.
The arrests came the day after UK police arrested 24 people in connection with an alleged plot to blow up passenger aircraft en route from Britain to the US.
A spokeswoman for North Wales Police said yesterday that police were "keeping an open mind" on whether there is any link between the arrests and the alleged plot.
The spokeswoman said there was no threat to passengers and staff at Holyhead Port as a result of the arrests. Security has been increased at the port, which is the main ferry terminal between Ireland and north Wales.