Seven men and two women are arrested in New IRA probe in Belfast after major cross-border operation
- Nine people between 26 and 50 are being questioned at a Belfast police station
- Gardai in Republic of Ireland carried of searches in Dublin, Laois, Cork and Kerry
- The searches came as part of an investigation into activities of the New IRA
Seven men and two women have been arrested and are being held in Belfast as part of a major cross-border operation investigating the New IRA’s activities.
Nine people, aged between 26 and 50, are being questioned at Musgrave Street Police Station in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
It comes after gardai in the Republic of Ireland carried out six searches in Dublin, Laois, Cork and Kerry.
Seven men and two women are being questioned at Musgrave Street police station in Belfast after searches were carried out in the Republic of Ireland following an investigation into the New IRA
The raids were part of a cross border operation dubbed Operation Arbacia.
Assistant Chief Constable at Police Service Northern Ireland, Barbara Gray said: ‘I can confirm that nine people were arrested on Tuesday under the Terrorism Act in connection with an ongoing investigation into the activities of the New IRA.
All nine remain in custody.
‘The seven men and two women, aged between 26 and 50 years, were arrested as part of Operation Arbacia.
‘They are currently in Musgrave Serious Crime Suite, where they continue to be questioned on suspicion of a wide range of terrorist activity.’
The New IRA has been behind a number of attempted attacks on police and is considered to be the largest dissident republican group.
The group claimed responsibility for the death of journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot dead while observing riots in Londonderry last year.