THE discovery of explosives linked to dissident republicans has been described as significant by Gardaí.
The haul of TNT plastic explosives was recovered after armed police stopped a taxi in Dublin on Friday.
More than 5kg of explosives, detonators and other military grade items, possibly including a mine or grenade, were seized during the Gardaí operation.
Two men, aged 21 and 28, arrested at the scene have had their period of detention extended.
A 55-year-old man was also arrested in Dublin on Saturday during a follow up operation and is currently being held at Raheny Garda Station.
Gardai say the haul may have been destined for use by dissident republicans in the north.
It is believed the seizure was the result of an ongoing surveillance and intelligence-led investigation.
It is understood the operation began after officers from the Emergency Response Unit and the Special Detective Unit stopped a seven-seater taxi on Spring Garden Street, Ballybough in Dublin at around 6pm.
The discovery of TNT plastic explosives will be viewed by many observers as significant.
In the past dissident groups have used Semtex taken from Provisional IRA arms dumps to make bombs.
The discovery of TNT suggests that new supply routes have been established.
In a statement to the Irish News in February the ‘IRA’, which is sometimes referred to as the ‘New IRA’, said it used a newly acquired type of explosive in a bomb placed under a PSNI man’s car in Derry.
The device later exploded as it was being examined by the British army bomb squad.
The group said it had also used a new type of tilt switch and detonator in the device.
TNT is used by both the US and Australian military as well as commercial interests across the globe.
It is considered by many to be safer to use than other types of explosives and less prone to accidental detonation.
UUP assembly member Doug Beattie said the seizure will be “welcomed by all politicians and political parties who respect the rule of law and who repudiate the use of, or threat of violence for political ends”.
The unionist said “lives have been saved by this seizure”.
“Anyone who seeks to use force to impose their will on the wider community must be removed from circulation and sent to prison for the maximum possible length of time,” he said.
“The only consideration must be the protection of innocent lives.”
