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Three Continuity IRA suspects held

Three Continuity IRA suspects held

Three men have been arrested in Lancashire on suspicion of being members of the Continuity IRA.

Two of the men were arrested in Morecambe and one elsewhere on Sunday. They are being held in connection with possession of firearms, as part of a joint investigation into the activities of dissident republicans by police in Limerick and Lancashire.

During searches in Lancashire, West Yorkshire and London, three firearms, two handguns and a rifle were recovered.

A spokesman from Lancashire Police said: “Searches were carried out with Lancashire and West Yorkshire officers.

“Armed officers were deployed to make the arrests. All men were arrested under the Terrorism Act.”

A number of arrests have been made in Limerick in recent months in connection with suspected terrorist activity.

In one of the longest trials at Dublin’s Special Criminal Court earlier this year one man was convicted of Continuity IRA membership in Limerick, while six others were cleared.

The Continuity IRA is a hardline breakaway group from the main IRA, opposed to the peace process and Good Friday Agreement.