Police have arrested several suspects after an attack on a police officer in Northern Ireland.
Three men aged 38, 45 and 47 have been arrested in connection with the attempted murder, the police said on Thursday. The researchers assume that the perpetrators come from the background of the republican-catholic New IRA.
Masked men fired multiple shots at the police officer as he loaded footballs into a car with his son after a practice session in the town of Omagh on Wednesday night. According to media reports, other children were also aware of the incident. The victim was hospitalized in a critical but stable condition, police said. It would be a senior officer investigating paramilitary and drug-related crime.
I have heard the terrible news from Omagh about the shooting of an off-duty PSNI officer tonight.
Our thoughts are with the injured officer, his family, colleagues and friends at this difficult time.
I strongly condemn this grotesque act of attempted murder.
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) February 22, 2023
The New IRA is a coalition of splinter groups of the paramilitary IRA (Irish Republican Army), who fought through decades of civil war to unite Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland. In the late 1990s, the IRA laid down its arms and peace was made in the Good Friday Agreement. But some militants remained active, including on the side of the Protestant supporters of the Union and Britain. The splinter groups are linked to organized crime.
“The investigation is at an early stage,” assistant chief constable Mark McEwan told BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday. All options are being kept open, but the focus is on Republican splinter groups and especially the New IRA.
As the British news agency PA reported, there are suspicions that the perpetrators may have fled across the border to the Republic of Ireland. The detectives therefore worked closely with their colleagues there. Politicians from all major parties in Northern Ireland condemned the killing. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was also shocked. His thoughts are with the officer and his family, Sunak wrote on Twitter. Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, had also condemned the murder. (rbu/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
