Gardai investigating the activities of republicans opposed to the Belfast Agreement yesterday arrested a further five men in Dublin and Limerick, bringing to 13 the number arrested in the past week.
Eight men who were arrested at the end of last week under the Offences Against the State legislation were released without charge on Sunday night. The men came from Dublin, Dundalk, Limerick and Cork.
Yesterday morning detectives from the Special Detective Unit arrested three men in Dublin and two in Limerick in simultaneous raids on houses in the two cities.
The detectives in Limerick are investigating the activities of the Continuity IRA. Gardai believe this group is associated with the political group, Republican Sinn Fein (RSF). RSF denies this.
The arrests in Dublin and elsewhere at the end of last week were by officers investigating the "Real IRA". Gardai believe this group has recently recruited a small number of former Provisional IRA members who have considerable bomb-making experience. Border gardai are concerned that the "Real IRA" is intent on carrying out attacks on security bases in Northern Ireland.
The "Real IRA" has been responsible for an increase in terrorist attacks in the North in recent months.
Its members planted a powerful bomb, which failed to explode, at Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly, Co Derry, on February 25th. Two days later its members attempted to fire an RPG 18 rocket at Killymean Army Barracks in Dungannon, Co Tyrone.
A small bomb exploded causing slight damage to Ebrington Barracks in Derry on April 6th. It was also behind an attempt to plant a 500 lb bomb at another barracks in Belfast in March.
The Continuity IRA is believed to be responsible for one bomb attack in which damage was caused to McMahon's hotel in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, on February 6th.
Garda sources say there is growing concern that the "Real IRA" has gathered support in the past six months and has acquired a large consignment of RPG 18 rockets and commercial explosives from a source in Croatia.
It has also established a fundraising wing which is making money from cigarette smuggling and through association with organised criminals in Dublin.
The recent arrests in the Republic are in response to the continuing attempts by dissident republicans to disrupt the political process in the North.
During last week's search operations gardai discovered a small quantity of Semtex at a house in west Dublin.