Gardai given more time two question men over Dublin Semtex find

By Adam Evans

Police in Dublin have been granted more time to question two men arrested after the discovery of a massive cache of Semtex in the city.

Gardai seized the plastic explosive after armed officers stopped a taxi in the Ballybough area at about 6pm on Friday.

It's understood there could have been a plan to use the devices in Northern Ireland.

A bomb disposal unit was called and police arrested two men at the scene.

Gardai detained two men, aged 21 and 28, who are being questioned by detectives after their period of detention was extended on Saturday.

Police also arrested a third man, aged 55, during a search later on Friday evening in Dublin, and all three are being questioned under the Offences Against the State Act.

The men were arrested as part of an operation into the activities of dissident republicans.

A Gardai spokeswoman said a "significant amount of suspected explosives" were found in the car.

Residents were evacuated from their homes and nearby businesses closed as the bomb squad was brought in.