Police in Northern Ireland have arrested four people in connection with the booby-trap bomb attack that targeted a British soldier in Belfast earlier this month.
The murder bid was claimed by the dissident republican group Óglaigh na hÉireann after the device was discovered under the driver's seat car in the Blackdam Court area on Thursday January 5th.
Earlier today, PSNI detectives in the serious crimes branch arrested three men aged 43, 40 and 30 and one woman aged 41 in the North Belfast area. They have been taken to the Antrim serious crime suite for questioning.
A total of nine searches were carried out as part of the investigation and a PSNI spokesman said that a number of items were taken away during these searches.
He added that police investigations were continuing.
The attack was condemned by Sinn Féin MLA for North Belfast Gerry Kelly.
“This attack was reckless and those who behind need to bear the responsibility of endangering the people of North Belfast,” he said. “It is my understanding that this car travelled around north Belfast, and was in Ligoniel before this bomb was discovered. It has left this community vulnerable to injury or worse had the bomb gone off.
“Those behind it need to realise that there is no support for this and the community rejects the groups behind such attacks. Their actions are outdated and will serve no furthering of any political agenda or otherwise. The people of Ireland had overwhelming endorsed the peace process and it is high time such groups caught up with this.”
The Democratic Unionist MP for the area, Nigel Dodds, said the soldier’s vigilance helped avoid loss of life.
“It is an absolutely appalling incident,” said Mr Dodds. “This was a viable device. It was designed and targeted to kill a particular target, it has emerged now, a serving soldier.”
Mr Dodds said the incident was a reckless attack, aimed at killing the soldier, but also disregarding any risk to the public in a residential area.
Mr Dodds told the BBC that dissident groups represented no one. “These people can achieve nothing by this activity,” he said.