Sniping super-rifle found in Ulster security sweep

Security forces in Northern Ireland have seized a specialised and much-feared sniping weapon, it emerged last night.

The Barrett Light 50 rifle, which fires bullets that can pierce body armour, was found during a security sweep launched on Thursday at Crossmaglen, in County Armagh.

The Royal Ulster Constabulary said only that several items had been found at various addresses and some arrests had been made - but it was known that police and troops were searching for this particular type of weapon. In the past three years, nine members of the security forces have been killed in sniping attacks in border areas. Yesterday's seizure was the first in the Province and came the day after Alice Collins, an RUC constable, was shot in the back by an IRA sniper while on patrol outside Londonderry's courthouse.