15:3915:29 Tuesday 30 August 2016
Two security searches were being conducted in Larne on Tuesday. At the time of going to press, police were conducting a search in the Inver Road area of Larne linked to the ongoing investigation into NI related terrorism which resulted in the arrest of a 30 year old royal marine from the town last week.
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PACEMAKER BELFAST 30/08/2016 Town Park in Larne Police are searching an area in Larne in connection with Northern Ireland-related terrorism investigation. Last week, a serving Royal Marine, Ciaran Maxwell, was arrested in Somerset as part of the investigation after searches in Larne and Devon. The 30-year-old marine is still being questioned. The arrest is understood to be connected to the discovery of two arms dumps near the County Antrim town earlier this year.
The search was believed to be taking place at the old bleach work site.
Larne man Ciaran Maxwell was detained in Somerset by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service s Counter Terrorism Command last Wednesday. Police have since searched a number of properties in the Old Glenarm Road area of Larne. The operation also involved searches at a house and wooded area in south Devon.
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Presseye.com 30th August 2016 August 2016 – Police in Larne pictured at Glenarm road during searches after a recent ammunition find linked to dissident republicans.
Photograph by Presseye
Mr Maxwell is believed to live at the address in Exminster with his partner and a young child. His arrest is understood to be linked to the discovery of two arms dumps near Larne earlier this year at Carnfunnock Country Park and Capanagh Forest. Meanwhile, a separate search was also underway at Larne s town park, which resulted in the closure of the popular leisure facility.
An eyewitness told the Times that a bomb disposal robot and sniffer dogs had attended the scene, and that houses and Drumalis garden centre had been evacuated. It is understood that the Drumalis Road was also closed off. DUP Councillor Paul Reid said that Larne residents had been left shocked and horrified by the recent spate of searches.
I totally condemn any potential threat to officers and members of the public and I congratulate the PSNI in being so proactive, he said.
We thought we had left things like this behind but hearing this takes us backwards.
Cllr Reid also condemned the disruption caused by the Inver Road search to children and young families.
This is an area in a public domain where people are out exercising with children and walking their dogs on a lovely sunny Tuesday, he said.
These searches are causing concern in the community.
They have shut Drumalis Road where a number of homes containing young families have been evacuated, causing inconvenience and upset to a number of my constituents.
A local business has also been closed.
I would appeal to anyone with any information to come forward to help with the police investigation.