Arms cache found in Ireland

Irish PM Ahern said the find was "significant"

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Police tracking the movements of dissident hardline Irish republican groups have uncovered an arms cache, including mortar bombs and rockets.

Sunday's find followed the earlier discovery of a suspected paramilitary training camp and the arrest of two men under anti-terrorism laws.

The 20 mortars and 20 rockets were located in two separate locations near Athy, County Kildare, one in undergrowth beside Ireland's Royal Canal.

Police also said two assault rifles -- an AK47 and a Chinese-made weapon -- were found, as well as 400 rounds of ammunition, telescopic sights, a first aid kit and camouflage equipment that included combat clothing.

They were all hidden in a concealed plastic cylindrical pipe that had been buried underground just five miles from where mortar bombs and rocket launchers were located earlier.

Earlier police detained two men in an operation based in the counties of Kildare, Laois and Carlow, reported the Associated Press.

The pair held for questioning were detained by members of the Garda Siochana's special detective unit in the neighbouring Co Kildare towns of Naas and Newbridge.

The moves marked the latest in a series of swoops aimed at hardline republicans linked to two paramilitary groups, the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA.

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern congratulated police on the arms find which he described as "significant," the Press Association said.

Ahern said: "It is imperative that the politicians meeting in Shropshire over the coming days make progress in implementing in full the Good Friday Agreement so that the initiative is not yielded to those who continue to defy the will of the Irish people and resort to violence to achieve their aims."