Two men have been arrested in the North in connection with an investigation into dissident Republican activities.
The men, who are aged 31 and 32 years of age, were arrested in the Magherafelt area of Derry earlier today.
They are both being questioned by PSNI dectectives from the Serious Crime Branch in Co Antrim.
Dissident groups pose a “real and increasing security challenge in Northern Ireland” and could be planning attacks in Britain, MI5 chief Jonathan Evans warned earlier this month.
Mr Evans told security professionals there was a “persistent rise in terrorist activity and ambition in Northern Ireland over the last three years”.
He said that so far this year dissidents had mounted over 30 attacks or attempted attacks on security targets in the North compared to over 20 attacks in the whole of last year.