DETECTIVES from the PSNI’s Terrorist Investigation Unit have been granted an extra three days to question suspects arrested in Derry this week over the activities of the New IRA.
Nine suspects – seven men and two women aged between 26 and 50,- were arrested on Tuesday morning during co-ordinated dawn raids in Derry city, east Tyrone and Belfast.
it has been described as one of the largest police operations against republican terrorists in recent years.
Officers from the Garda’s Special Detective Unit carried out searches in Dublin, Laois, Offaly and Kerry as part of the planned cross-border raids.
Codenamed ‘Operation Arbacia’, MI5 were tasked by the Terrorist Investigation Unit to target the nine suspects as part of a lengthy covert surveillance operation into the activities of the New IRA which included shootings, bombIngs, conspiracy to murder and directing terrorist activities across the North West and North of Ireland.
On Wednesday, detectives went before a Crown Court judge on Wednesday to seek a 72 extension to the custody of the nine suspects.
That extension was granted after a senior detective put forward the police case to have the suspects time in custody extended.
All nine suspects can now be held at the serious crime suite at Musgrave police station in Belfast until 5 am on Sunday, August 23 before they are either released unconditionally or charged to court under the Terrorism Act.
The New IRA was responsible for the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry on Thursday, April 18, 2019.
One dissident republican suspect has been charged with her murder.
Crime Operations Assistant Chief Constable Barbara Gray said: “Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Terrorism Investigation Unit have been granted further extensions by the Court to question nine people who were arrested across Northern Ireland on Tuesday under the Terrorism Act in connection with an ongoing investigation into the activities of the New IRA.
Talented journalist Lyra McKee shot dead in Derry on Thursday, April 18, 2019
“They will remain in Musgrave Serious Crime Suite where they will continue to be questioned on suspicion of a wide range of terrorist activity.”