Ciaran Maxwell, who has links to dissident Republicans, has admitting storing explosives in arms dumps

A Royal Marine is facing jail after pleading guilty to planning a terrorist attack following the discovery of arms dumps in Devon and Northern Ireland.

Ciaran Maxwell, 31, who is said to have links to dissident Republicans, was arrested after the discovery of two separate arms caches hidden in woodland in Antrim, Northern Ireland.

He was accused of stealing anti-personnel mines and constructing homemade bombs which he then hid in barrels buried in the woods in Antrim and in Devon, not far from his home.

The case is the first known incident of Republican terrorists infiltrating the armed forces and comes at a sensitive time for the peace process after the collapse of the power-sharing agreement last month.

Dressed in a black t-shirt and grey, fleeced top with close-cropped hair, Maxwell appeared by video link and spoke only to confirm his name and enter his guilty pleas today.

The hides, in Carnfunnock and Capanagh, contained homemade bombs, homemade explosives, an explosively formed projectile, and a timer power unit, along with ammunition and a number of military items including rifle magazines, detonation cord and mini flares.

Police uncovered a cache of weapons and explosives in barrels buried in woodland

Police have release a photo of the holes in the woods where the weapons were found

Uniforms for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were also found, along with an image of an adapted PSNI pass card.

The first discovery when a member of the public discovered two partially buried blue barrels in Carnfunnock Country Park and reported it to police.

Two months later, on May 14, another member of the public told police that while in Capanagh Forest in Larne he and a friend came across a barrel which they believed contained an improvised explosive device.

Officers from the PSNI carried out a clearance operation the following morning and discovered three barrels full of explosives and component parts.

The barrels contained a handgun, ammunition and magazines with rounds, along with five pipe bombs, one of which was deconstructed and another which had a length of fuse attached.

There were also a Mk1 Claymore and a Mk2 Claymore anti-personnel mines, a timmer power unit, fuse wire and fuse cord, flares, erythritol tetranitrate (ETN) and a pressure cooker which could be used to make a homemade bomb.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland called in the Metropolitan Police and Maxwell was arrested on August 24 last year.

Maxwell (pictured, right, in court sketch) was living his fiancee and child at the time of the raid

Plastic barrels filled with bomb-making items were found buried at Carnfunnock Country Park

A claymore mine with shrapnel were recovered from a 'terrorist hide' in woodland near Larne

After Maxwell was arrested, the Powderham New Plantation area near his home was searched and 12 more hides discovered, containing electrical components which could be used in the construction of improvised explosive devices similar to those found in Northern Ireland.

DNA on two items in the hides was matched Maxwell, prosecutor Jessica Hart told the court.

Interviewed by police, Maxwell identified additional hides, accepted researching bombs, manufacturing explosive substances, constructing explosive devices and storing the product of that work in the hides.

Maxwell's properties in the Larne area of Northern Ireland where he grew up, and the Powderham New Plantation near his Devon home were all searched.

Maxwell, who was living in Exminster, Devon, with his fiancee and young son, pleaded guilty to assisting another to commit acts of terrorism in the five years between January 1 2011 and August 24 2016 under section five of the Terrorism Act 2006

Ammunition was also recovered from the weapons dump in woodland at Capanagh Forest

A picture taken from the air during the investigation shows police digging up the ammo dumps

He was also said to have purchased chemicals and components to be used in the manufacture of explosive substances and the construction of explosive devices.

He was said to have created a library of documents providing information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, including maps, plans and a list of potential targets.

The documents included information on how to manufacture explosive substances, the construction of explosive devices and tactics used by terrorist organisations.

Maxwell further admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of articles in connection with fraud relating to some fraudulent bank cards.

The victims of the fraud are believed to be his fellow marines.

Maxwell was arrested after police searches of woodland in Devon not far from his home

Searches were also carried out by police at properties in Larne in County Antrim

Mr Justice Sweeney, who handles terror cases at the Old Bailey, has adjourned sentence to a date to be fixed.

Speaking after the pleas, Commander Dean Haydon of the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "I would like to acknowledge the excellent joint working between PSNI and the UK’s National Counter Terrorism network in bringing Maxwell to justice.

'This investigation resulted in a significant disruption and protected public safety by removing a large quantity of dangerous material from circulation.'