Man charged over weapons haul in forest park

A man has been charged with a number of terror offences linked to dissident republican weapons dumps stocked by a rogue Royal Marine.

The 29-year-old man, who was arrested in the north west of Northern Ireland on Tuesday, is due to appear before a district judge in Ballymena, Co Antrim, on Thursday.

The charges are connected to an investigation into the discovery of weapons in two forest parks and a number of other sites near Larne, Co Antrim.

A dissident republican who infiltrated the British military was last year sentenced to 18 years in prison for supplying and building bombs found at the sites.

Former Royal Marine Ciaran Maxwell stashed anti-personnel mines, mortars, ammunition and 14 pipe bombs - four of which were later used - in 43 purpose-built hides at eight locations in Northern Ireland and England, including hauls buried in barrels at Carnfunnock and Capanagh forest parks near Larne.

Maxwell, originally from Larne, was a serving member 40 Commando based at Norton Manor Camp in Taunton, Somerset, at the time of the offences.

He was sentenced at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to preparation of terrorist acts between January 2011 and August 2016, possessing images of bank cards for fraud and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.