The RUC has uncovered what is understood to be a loyalist machine-gun manufacturing operation in a derelict farmhouse in north Co Down.
Six replica machine-guns, a lathe, grinding equipment, drills, vice and ancillary parts were found in the old farmhouse on the Comber Road outside Newtownards on Sunday.
The RUC was making no comment yesterday on the discovery other than to say that the six replica firearms and the equipment had been discovered.
However, it is understood the operation was under the control of one or both of the two main loyalist paramilitary organisations, the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).
It is the most significant discovery of loyalist arms since an operation to smuggle guns from the north of England to loyalists in Co Down was discovered in early 1995. While loyalists have largely adhered to their ceasefire, the UDA and UVF have never made any move towards decommissioning weapons. Despite this, their political representatives have been allowed to attend the Stormont talks.
Both these organisations have extensively used "homemade" machine-guns, particularly replicas of the Sterling and Uzi submachine-guns. The last major discovery of a loyalist arms manufacturing operation was also in north Co Down, in September 1988, when the RUC discovered 1,000 Uzi replicas and 30 replica Sterlings.
The weapons manufactured by the loyalists look crude but are said by security sources to be comparable in quality to the originals. The loyalists are understood to have used commercial machine tools to make pressed parts from the original weapons and then set up small manufacturing units in farm buildings.