Suspects still being questioned

The car was stopped near the M1 motorway

Two suspected members of a dissident republican paramilitary group are still being questioned after being arrested during a security operation in Northern Ireland.

RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan said he believed those arrested had been in possession of a sub-machine gun.

The arrests came on the day the British Government announced a series of measures to scale down security in border areas, following a decision by the mainstream Provisional IRA to put some weapons beyond use.

The arrests were made on Wednesday evening after a car was stopped on a slip road off the M1 motorway, near Moira, in County Down.

Sir Ronnie: "We believe these people are dissident republicans"

The road was cordoned off during a security operation and forensic tests were carried out on the gun and the vehicle.

Sir Ronnie said the arrests were terrorist-related.

Opposed

He told BBC NI's Newsline programme that the arrests were evidence of the RUC's determination to keep up the pressure on dissident republicans.

"Just this afternoon we have arrested two people in possession of what we believe to be a sub-machine gun," he said.

"We would believe, although it is very early stages, that these people are dissident republicans."

He said the RUC and Irish police had "through tremendous work significantly dented" the capabilities of dissident republican groups.

Dissident republicans are opposed to the peace process and Good Friday Agreement.

They have been responsible for a number of attacks in Northern Ireland and in Britain recently.