Two Irish citizens have been arrested in Lithuania on suspicion of trying to buy a large amount of firearms and explosives.
"Officers of the state security department and the Defence Ministry's special unit carried out an anti-terrorist operation which was aimed at preventing the purchase of illegal arms and explosives," the Lithuanian Prosecutor General's office said.
It added in a statement that during the operation in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius two Irish citizens had been detained and were suspected of trying to smuggle the arms for dissident republicans.
According to reports this morning, one of the two is the brother of top ranking "Real IRA" man from Dundalk, Co Louth.
A Garda spokeswoman said they were "aware that two Irish nationals had been arrested in Lithuanian and the Garda will provide assistance to Lithuanian police as required."