- Home >
- Crime >
- Irish Crime
High profile loyalist arrested and firearms seized over Simon Coveney bomb alert
The man aged 46 was arrested by specialist terrorist officers on the Shankill Road in Belfast on Wednesday morning
Police recover a car in the Disraeli Street area of north Belfast
A high-profile loyalist is among two people arrested in a dramatic PSNI operation.
The man aged 46 was arrested by specialist terrorist officers on the Shankill Road in Belfast on Wednesday morning.
A second 51-year-old man was arrested in the Ballymena area, two suspected firearms have also been recovered.
Searches were carried out at a residential property in Ballysillan in north Belfast.
Simon Coveney, being ushered from the room due to a security alert
Read more
The arrest is believed to be in connection with a hoax bomb alert in March that resulted in Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney having to flee a peace building event.
During the incident loyalist gunmen hijacked a van from a workman in Sydney Street in the Shankill and told him that he would be shot or his family would be injured if he did not do as instructed.
An item, later discovered to be a hoax bomb, was then placed in the man’s van and the victim was ordered to drive it to the Houben Centre on the Crumlin Road, where Minister Coveney was attending a peace event.
The event was organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation.
Mr Coveney later said of the attack: “I was there to speak about the profound legacy of John and Pat Hume as peacemakers and pioneers of reconciliation.
“What I was there to say that day was that the Good Friday Agreement was achieved by all and belongs to us all.
“That has to mean not just tolerance, but genuine respect and reconciliation”.
Police later said that the hoax bomb was the work of the UVF.
The attack on the event, linked to tensions over the Northern Ireland protocol, was believed to have been sanctioned by the leadership of the UVF.
Two people have already been charged in connection with the incident.
One of the men arrested on Wednesday is well known.
A police spokesperson said: “A 46-year-old male was arrested under the Terrorism Act in the Shankill area. Two suspected firearms have been recovered and a vehicle has been taken away for examination.
“As part of the operation, a 51 year-old male was arrested in the Ballymena area under the Terrorism Act. A van has been seized and taken away for examination.
“Both men are currently being questioned in the Serious Crime Suite of Musgrave police station in Belfast”.
Today's Headlines
Killer free | Anger as seriously ill gangland murderer released and reunited with family
near miss | Stephen Kenny ‘so disappointed’ as Ireland lose against France
ruff justice | Owner of killer dog who refused to turn up to court for five years is ‘savaged’ by judge
Fayden away | Succession star Matthew Macfadyen opens up about saying goodbye to role of a lifetime
'very concerned' | Sicko baby abuser David Hubbard suspected of breaching sex offenders act by fleeing to UK
Guilty plea | Former teacher asked schoolgirl for naked photos during sexual exchanges on Instagram
gloves are off | Kellie Harrington accuses presenter of trying to ‘hang me out to dry’ in debate over tweet
jailhouse rocked | Gangland double killer left ‘distraught’ behind bars after Graham Dwyer’s appeal defeat
'living in fear' | Sex worker assaulted by Kerry farmer said ‘you never think it will happen to you’
'struggling' | Molly-Mae Hague breaks down in tears as she admits being a mum is ‘overwhelming’