Man (39) held over dissident activities, firebombs

A man is being questioned in Belfast today as part of a police investigation into the activities of dissident republican paramilitaries…

A man is being questioned in Belfast today as part of a police investigation into the activities of dissident republican paramilitaries in Northern Ireland.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested by police in the Greater Belfast this morning as part of an investigation into dissident republican terrorist crimes including incendiary attacks
PSNI spokesman

The 39-year-old was held in the Greater Belfast area in the wake of a wave of firebomb attacks that destroyed three shops. Dissent republicans were blamed for planing firebombs in the shops, similar to attacks on shops in Newry in August.

A PSNI spokesman said in a statement: "A 39-year-old man has been arrested by police in the Greater Belfast this morning as part of an investigation into dissident republican terrorist crimes including incendiary attacks."

She said detectives were carrying out a series of searches on premises in four locations - two in Glengormley, one in Newtownabbey and and one in Killough, Co Down.

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"The suspect has been brought to the serious crime suite at Antrim police station where he is being questioned about dissident activities going back over a period of time," she added.

She said a senior detective had been appointed to co-ordinate the police investigation into the incendiary attacks. The detective was appointed before today's incidents in Belfast.

Patrick  Logue

Patrick Logue

Patrick Logue is Digital Editor of The Irish Times