A British Royal Marine was jailed for 18 years on Monday after admitting that he worked as a bomb maker for dissident Irish Republican groups that violently oppose Northern Ireland's peace process.
While serving in Britain's military, Ciaran Maxwell, a 31-year-old Northern Irish Catholic, made and stockpiled pipe bombs, anti-personnel mines, handguns and enough chemicals to make more than 100 kg of explosives.
Although police said there was no evidence he had deliberately sought to infiltrate the military, they believe Maxwell is the first serving soldier to have been convicted of a terrorism offense in such circumstances.