Police seize pipe bombs, guns in loyalist raids

Police in Northern Ireland seized a "major arsenal" from loyalists yesterday.

Ten guns and two pipe bombs were recovered with an anti-personnel device and thousands of rounds of ammunition from four houses in Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.

Police believe the weapons belonged to the Ulster Defence Association, whose ceasefire was declared over last October after sectarian murders, pipe bombings and street violence.

The Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable, Alan McQuillan, said: "This was an extremely significant find. You don't normally find this number of loyalist guns at the one time.

"I hope this will push them back but I have no doubt they will try to rearm. We have to do everything we can to arrest them. This is a major arsenal. We are absolutely delighted." News of the raid came as John Reid, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, insisted that the peace process could get back on track.

After talks with the Irish Foreign Minister, Brian Cowen, at Hillsborough Castle, Dr Reid pinned his hopes on a keynote speech planned for next weekend by the Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams, reacting to the return of direct rule. He said: "There is a way in which to resolve these difficulties and if that political will is there, then we can work through the present problem, the way we have worked through problems in the past."

Police in the Irish Republic arrested two men with suspected connections to the Continuity IRA terror group.