Army Barracks Shooting: Two Soldiers Dead

A massive security operation is under way after two soldiers were shot dead outside an army barracks in Northern Ireland. Four other people were seriously injured after gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons outside the Massereene Barracks in Antrim last night. No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the shooting, although it has been blamed on dissident republicans opposed to the peace process. The attack happened just 36 hours after Northern Ireland Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde said undercover soldiers had been called in to carry out surveillance operations on dissidents. This was amid warnings the threat against his officers and military personnel was at its highest for almost a decade. The gunmen's car or van pulled up outside the barracks' main gates shortly before 10pm and then the attackers opened fire. Sky's Vicki Hawthorne said: "Initial reports suggested that a pizza delivery van spotted at the scene had something to do with this - but the police have completely ruled this out. "Reports are that this was some kind of drive-by shooting carried out at the gates of Massereene barracks. "Two men, military personnel, were killed and another four people injured. Two of those are military personnel, another two are civilians. "Three are still in a serious condition, one is described as stable."