§ Mr. McCuskerasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the recent incident on Lough Ross when terrorists materials were recovered and two men arrested.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsDuring the evening of 11 July information was received by the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the effect that a boat stolen some weeks earlier in the Republic had been seen on Lough Ross, on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and was moving towards Northern Ireland. A joint RUC/Army patrol was sent to the scene by helicopter and the boat was observed to be aground on the Co. Armagh shore of the Lough. The patrol was landed and, as the helicopter was taking off, one shot was fired at it. Fire was returned and an armed man was believed to have been hit before escaping into the Republic.
On arrival at the boat the patrol arrested two men and took possession of a quantity of electronic equipment. One of the men has since been charged with the murders of Superintendent Hanna and Constable Thompson, the two police officers killed in an explosion at Cullyhanna, South Armagh on 3 June and Private McMillan of the Queen's Own Highlanders who died after an explosion in Crossmaglen on 7 July. Both men have also been charged with an offence under the Explosive Substances Acts.