The Five Demands

Loyalists deny owning Belfast gun haul (UTV)

Senior loyalists have denied that they own the stash of guns and ammunition recovered in east Belfast – one of the biggest weapon hauls in Northern Ireland in recent years.

Sixteen handguns and 800 rounds of ammunition were found buried in a hole in the Lisnabreeny estate on the Manse Road in Castlereagh on Friday night.

The discovery was made by a man using a metal detector, who then alerted police.

There are now calls from politicians to find out who is responsible for the guns and for them to be brought to justice.

Sinn Féin deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness took to Twitter to praise the PSNI.

Police have not commented on whether the guns and munitions belong to a paramilitary group.

Some sources believe that they belong to loyalists – possibly the UVF because of the area they were found in – but that has been denied.

PSNI Detective Superintendent Sean Wright, from Serious Crime Branch, said: “The recovery of these weapons has undoubtedly thwarted the attempts of criminals to inflict death, injury and misery on the community.”

The weapons have been taken away for further examination as investigations continue.

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