Weapons cache was worrying sign of dissident sophistication

Some of the weapons seized during investigations into dissident republican activity in 2014 and 2015 on display at Garda headquarters in Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Tom Brady Email

March 05 2016 02:30 AM

Two months ago gardaí put on a display of weapons and bomb components they had seized from dissident republicans.

The aim was to demonstrate what were described as the growing capabilities of dissident terror groups to launch explosive and gun attacks in Northern Ireland, with logistical support from their cells operating across the border in the Republic.

The display was also used to publicly voice fears the dissidents might attempt to step up their campaign of violence this year to coincide with the 1916 Rising centenary commemoration events.

Four rockets seized by gardaí over the two years included a prototype model of the Kassam rocket, which has been fired in the past by the military arm of Hamas.

The seizure of the self propelled prototype in a "factory" was regarded as evidence of the increasing sophistication of dissident "engineers".

That warning of an increased terror campaign in 2016 was proven correct yesterday as the dissidents claimed their first security "target", though, thankfully, not fatally, since November 2012.

Over the past year, garda arrested 31 people in connection with inquiries into dissident activity and 22 of those were charged with terrorist-related offences before the Special Criminal Court, which Sinn Féin wants to shut down.

Gardaí also stated with confidence the garda interventions and arrests had, without doubt, saved lives while also thwarting terror plans.