Armed forces member arrested over NI-related terrorism

A serving Royal Marine charged with terrorism related offences is to appear again in court in London later on Monday..

Ciaran Maxwell, who is 30 with an address in Old Quarry Drive in Exminster, but who is originally from Larne, was arrested in Devon.

He appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday charged with offences linked to the discovery of weapons and explosives near Larne earlier this year.

He also allegedly compiled a library of terrorism documents, including instructions on how to make explosives and tactics used by terrorist organisations.

Scotland Yard has been granted a further seven days to question a royal marine from Northern Ireland over suspected terrorism offences.

The request to continue to detain Ciaran Maxwell has been approved at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

It means the 30-year-old from Larne can now be held until Wednesday 7 September.

Maxwell was arrested in a pre-planned swoop in Somerset last Wednesday, and on Friday police were granted an extra five days' questioning time.

The serviceman is being detained on suspicion of preparation for acts of terrorism linked to two dissident republican arms dumps found near Larne earlier this year.

Police have carried out more searches in Larne as part of an ongoing investigation into dissident republican activity.

It follows the arrest last week of 30-year-old Royal Marine Ciaran Maxwell who's from the town. Officers in England have until midday on Wednesday to either release him or apply for more time to question him.

Detectives are also questioning a 27-year-old, arrested in Larne, as part of an investigation into dissident republican activity.

In March, police uncovered a "significant terrorist hide" including bomb-making paraphernalia at Carnfunnock Country Park.

In May, they uncovered a further collection of explosives and bomb parts at Capanagh Forest, close to Larne.

Both discoveries were believed to be related to dissident republican groups.

Police are carrying out further searches in Larne, Co Antrim, linked to the arrest of a marine in England over suspected Northern Ireland related terrorism.

Ciaran Maxwell was detained in Somerset on Wednesday on suspicion of preparation for acts of terrorism in a pre-planned swoop linked to two dissident republican arms dumps found near Larne earlier this year.

The serviceman is from Larne, and following his arrest, PSNI officers carried out searches in the Old Glenarm Road area in his hometown.

On Friday Scotland Yard was granted further time to question him over the suspected terrorism offences.

Police are in Larne again on Tuesday and are searching in the Inver Road area.

Scotland Yard has been granted an extra five days to question a 30-year-old marine from Larne over Northern Ireland related terrorism offences.

The request to continue to detain Ciaran Maxwell was approved at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

It means he can be held until Wednesday 31 August.

Maxwell was arrested in a pre-planned swoop in Somerset on Wednesday.

The serviceman is being detained on suspicion of preparation for acts of terrorism linked to two dissident republican arms dumps found near Larne earlier this year.

A Royal Marine arrested on suspicion of Northern Ireland-related terrorism offences in England has been named as 30-year-old Ciaran Maxwell.

He is a serving member of the British armed forces with the Royal Marines unit based at Norton Manor Camp near Taunton.

Maxwell, from Larne in Co Antrim, was arrested in a pre-planned swoop in Somerset on Wednesday.

The operation involved searches at a house and wooded area in south Devon.

Police activity was continuing in Devon on Thursday. Searches are being carried out at a property in Exminster by the Metropolitan Police Service's Counter Terrorism Command and local uniformed officers.

Further searches are also taking place in the nearby Powderham New Plantation wooded area.

The serviceman is being detained on suspicion of preparation for acts of terrorism linked to the two dissident republican arms dumps found near Larne earlier this year.

The arms included pipe bombs, ammunition, an armour-piercing improvised rocket, anti-personnel mines and bomb-making components.

PSNI officers have also searched a number of properties near the two forest parks where the weapons dumps were discovered.