Five arrested in police murder investigation

Five men were arrested yesterday by detectives investigating the murder of a policeman who was blown up by dissident republicans in Northern Ireland earlier this year.

By The Newsroom

Published 27th Jul 2011, 07:00 BST

They were detained in a major security operation involving as many as 200 officers.

Constable Ronan Kerr, 25, a Catholic member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, was killed when a booby-trap bomb exploded under his car outside his home in Omagh, Co Tyrone, on April 2.

Police confirmed yesterday that five men had been detained in connection with the murder and associated incidents.

Searches were also carried out in Coalisland, Co Tyrone, and Toome, Co Antrim, as well as Bellaghy and Ballyronan, south Derry.

One man from Omagh has already been charged in connection with the police investigation into Constable Kerr’s murder.

All five were taken to Antrim police station for questioning.