West Belfast arrests after semtex explosives and firearms seized
|
Version 0 of 1. More than half a kilo of semtex explosives, firearms and ammunition have been discovered by police investigating violent republicanism in west Belfast. Two people were arrested at the scene and two handguns, more than 200 rounds of ammunition and two bomb detonators were also recovered, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. The find comes amid heightened tensions in Northern Ireland and the threat level from dissidents opposed to the country’s power-sharing executive remains severe. DCI Gillian Kearney, from the PSNI’S serious crime branch, said: “We are delighted to have removed these potentially lethal items from the streets of west Belfast. We appreciate the clearance operation, which was needed to ensure everyone’s safety through the night, disrupted many people’s lives, requiring people to leave their homes and inconveniencing road users. “We would like to thank them for their patience and understanding during the operation. We will continue to work with the community to ensure we keep everyone safe.” The seizure follows a security alert in Ballymurphy Road, which began on Thursday night and continued into the early hours of Friday. The items have been sent for detailed forensic examination. A 38-year-old woman and a 67-year-old man arrested at the scene continue to be questioned at Antrim police station. |