Gardai arrest seven after raids in Munster

Gardaí in Limerick and Cork were last night continuing to question seven suspected dissident republicans following a series of early morning raids in the two cities yesterday.

The raids were part of a major ongoing Garda investigation into the activities of suspected dissident republicans in the Munster region.

The ages of the seven people range from 20 to 50 years. Five of the suspects were arrested at different locations in Cork city, while the other two men, in their 30s and 40s, were arrested on Limerick's north side. They were being detained at Henry Street Garda station.

The men are well known to gardaí, according to a well-placed source. They were being held under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. They can be held for an initial period of 48 hours after which gardaí can apply through the courts to extend their detention.

The arrests come at a time when dissident republicans are being blamed for a variety of organised crime on both sides of the border. Gardaí in Limerick believe dissidents have been supplying arms to the feuding factions in the city.

Just last week the Garda Commissioner, Mr Noel Conroy, said they are heavily involved in a "disturbing" level of criminal activity in three cities and in the border area.

Mr Conroy told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice that the groups had a heavy involvement in smuggling, the provision of arms to criminals and the extortion of drug-dealers and drug-traffickers.