Two men arrested in connection with attempted murder of police officer

PSNI vehicles block a road during a security operation (Niall Carson/PA)

Two men have been arrested in connection with the attempted murder of a female police officer.

The PSNI said a 47-year-old man, who was arrested in the Dungiven area in Co Derry, and another man aged 48, arrested in the Feeny area, were taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite.

Detectives from the PSNI’s terrorism investigation unit made the arrests on Monday.

Dissident republicans opposed to the peace process are suspected of involvement after a bomb was placed beside the part-time officer’s car at her home in Dungiven last week.

The device, described as being designed to create a fireball, was left beside where the officer’s three-year-old daughter sits in the car.

Detective Superintendent Richard Campbell, head of the terrorism investigation unit, said: “Terrorism Investigation Unit detectives today arrested two men under the Terrorism Act in connection with the viable device which was discovered beside the young mother’s car in Ballyquin Road, Dungiven on Monday April 19.”

It comes days after two other men, aged 36 and 26, were arrested in Co Derry in connection with the attempted murder.