POLICE investigating dissident republican activity in Northern Ireland have discovered Semtex explosive, bomb detonators and almost 200 rounds of ammunition in west Belfast.
The find came as a UK Government-commissioned three-person panel launched an independent assessment of paramilitaries following a murder by Provisional IRA members which rocked the Stormont power-sharing political establishment.
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Serious Crime Branch officers recovered more than half a kilo of the explosive, along with two handguns, the ammunition and two detonators after a security alert in the Ballymurphy Road area late on Thursday into the early hours of yesterday.
The items have been taken away for forensic examination. A 38-year-old woman and a man, 67, were arrested at the scene and were last night being questioned.
Detective Chief Inspector Gillian Kearney, from Serious Crime Branch said: “We are delighted to have removed these potentially lethal items from the streets of west Belfast.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers is to examine findings from the security agencies such as MI5 and police on the structure, role and purpose of proscribed organisations when the government-commissioned panel reports back to her next month.
Ms Villiers said: “This assessment will be independently reviewed and checked by three individuals who I will appoint. Their names will be announced early next week.
“This assessment will be published by mid-October and will be available to inform the parties’ discussions and conclusions in the cross-party talks.”
The mandatory coalition Executive in Belfast is teetering on the verge of collapse, with all but one of its unionist ministers having walked out over the shooting of former IRA member Kevin McGuigan by current members of the Provisionals.
Ms Villiers said she intended to establish dedicated funding to increase the capability of agencies working to tackle criminality and organised crime associated with paramilitary groups in the province. She said: “It will support agencies to enhance specialist capabilities such as forensic accounting to strengthen their capacity to seize criminal assets.”
Cross-party discussions to resolve a crisis sparked by the murder of Mr McGuigan were due to begin on Monday but unionists had demanded UK Government action on paramilitaries before they begin.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Peter Robinson, who has temporarily stepped aside as First Minister, said he was “content” key issues around
paramilitary criminality were being addressed and said the DUP would be at the negotiating table next week.
He said: “We will be participating in the talks on Monday. I am not in the business of wrecking devolution. I want to see good, effective government in Northern Ireland. While others may be focused on process, this party is focused on the right outcome.”
Police said current members of the IRA were involved in shooting the 53-year-old last month. That assessment has put the spotlight on Sinn Fein and exerted pressure on the party to explain why security chiefs assess that the paramilitary organisation is still in existence.Deputy first minister Martin McGuinness said he was “pleased” unionist leaders would be present at next week’s talks.
Politicians have a “burning duty” to find a resolution, he said.
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