Seven held in dissident republican swoops

Seven men were arrested in connection with dissident republican activity in major police operations on both sides of the border today.

The arrests came hours after the latest attack by the violent extremists when a pipe bomb exploded outside a police station in Lurgan, Co Armagh.

Three men were taken into custody in Newry, Co Down, while gardaí arrested two as part of an ongoing investigation into dissident violence in South Armagh.

Later, police said two more men had been arrested in the North. One was stopped by officers in Derry, the other is from nearby Strabane.

All suspects detained north of the border have been taken to the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s specialist interrogation unit in Antrim.

No-one was injured in last night’s no-warning blast outside Lurgan PSNI station.

The device, which detonated at about 11.30pm, damaged a building opposite the police facility.

PSNI Operations Superintendent Pauline Shields said: “This was a reckless and cowardly attack which was aimed not only at killing police officers but also endangering the lives of any members of the public who would have been around at the time.

“This attack must be condemned and I am asking each and every member of the local community to work with us to find those responsible.”

Dissident activity in the North has intensified in recent months and police have stepped up security this week amid fears that the extremists will launch attacks to mark the General Election.

Since the start of the year, a Catholic police officer has been seriously injured by a booby trap car bomb in Co Antrim, while devices have also exploded outside MI5’s headquarters in Co Down, Newry courthouse and Newtownhamilton police station in South Armagh.

A series of other attacks have been foiled by bomb disposal officers.