Royal Marine charged with terror offences ‘over 12 stashes of weapons linked to New IRA’
The investigation is linked to the discovery of two arms dumps in Northern Ireland earlier this year
A SERVING Royal Marine has been charged with terrorism offences.
Ciaran Maxwell, 30, faces charges of manufacturing explosives, making devices and storing them in barrels in 12 stashes in Northern Ireland and Devon.
Maxwell,from Larne, Northern Ireland, was detained by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's Counter Terrorism Command last month.
It is understood the operation is connected to the discovery of two arms dumps near Larne earlier this year which were suspected to be linked to dissident republican paramilitaries.
Mr Maxwell was arrested after searches in Larne and Devon.
The operation involved several UK police forces, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
It is understood MI5 is also involved in the operation in England.
Following the arrest police in Devon searched a house in Exminster and a wooded area nearby.
The PSNI searched at least two houses on the Old Glenarm Road in Larne.
It is understood that a number of laptops and mobile phones were seized from the houses as part of the investigation.
A woman, who said she was the aunt of Ciarán Maxwell, expressed fears for her family's safety following his arrest.
She said the family only became aware this afternoon that police searches were being carried out.
The wider family are believed to be well known in the town.
In March, the PSNI said they had uncovered a "significant terrorist hide" of deadly bomb-making components and explosives at Carnfunnock Country Park.
Among the items recovered were wiring, circuit boards, partially constructed power timer units and a small quantity of explosives.
In May, a second significant arms cache, including an armour-piercing improvised rocket and two anti-personnel mines, was found at Capanagh Forest, near Larne.
Police said the operation was pre-planned and intelligence-led as part of a collaboration between the Met, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the South West Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit.
The arrest was made at 12:20 BST by Met detectives supported by officers from Avon and Somerset and Devon and Cornwall Police.
At the suspect's home town in Larne, heavily armed police supported forensic investigators as they searched houses on the Old Glenarm Road.
Army technical officers, who are routinely deployed where there is a threat of explosives, were also involved in the operation.
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