Police search Yorkshire farm, school in ‘Real IRA’ inquiry

Scotland Yard anti-terrorist officers have raided a farm in West Yorkshire as part of an investigation into the bombing campaign by the "Real IRA" in Britain.

Police comb the scene of this month's car bomb in Birmingham

No arrests were made, but it is understood a number of controlled explosions were carried out.

The disused farm in West Ardsley near Leeds was sealed off last night. Neighbours were evacuated from the area and officers are continuing to search the site today.

Detectives are also searching a nearby infants school and have told the parents of pupils to keep them at home. West Yorkshire police say Hill Top Infants School and Batley Road will stay closed until further notice. The public has been advised to keep away from the area.

Last night Gardaí investigating dissident republican activity found bomb-making equipment near Dundalk, Co Louth.

The find was made in a wooded area of Claremont Park in Hagartstown and included a number of detonators, detonator cord, bullet-proof vests and other bomb-making equipment.

A Garda spokeswoman told ireland.comthat, although she could not confirm it, she would not discount the possibility the discovery was the result of a joint operation between the Garda and the British police.

Police in London and Liverpool are also continuing to question six men who were arrested yesterday on suspicion of dissident republican activity.

The men, all aged between 20 and 40, were arrested by officers from Scotland Yard's Anti-Terrorist Branch during separate raids on addresses in London and Liverpool yesterday morning. It is not clear if they are from the Republic, the North or England.

The men can be held without charge for 48 hours under Britain’s new Terrorism Act. The police must then seek a magistrate’s permission to hold them for a further five days, after which they must be charged or released.