Northern Ireland: Army's lost guns go to paramilitaries

Of 47 British army weapons lost, stolen or otherwise "unaccounted for" in Northern Ireland, almost a third are thought to have ended up with loyalist or republican paramilitaries, it was revealed yesterday.

The figures, which include handguns, rifles, and machine guns, were disclosed in a written answer from John Reid, of the Ministry of Defence, to Labour MP Kevin McNamara. Dr Reid discloses that of the figures available, eight weapons were "believed to have fallen in the hands of "republican paramilitaries, while six were thought to have ended up with loyalists.