Man held after viable device left in car outside Derry police station

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Detectives investigating a vehicle hijacking and security alert in the Waterside area of Derry last month have arrested a 28-year-old man.

The man was arrested in the Claudy area on Sunday.

A viable device was left in a hijacked vehicle outside Waterside police station in the city on the evening of Sunday November 20th.

A delivery driver was hijacked by three masked men and made to drive his car to the station, where it was abandoned.

It sparked a major security alert which led to some children not being able to get to school the next day.

Detectives investigating a vehicle hijacking and subsequent security alert in the Waterside area of Derry/Londonderry on Sunday 20 November have arrested a 28 year old man in the Claudy area this morning. pic.twitter.com/idLpILfhYV

— Police Derry City and Strabane (@PSNIDCSDistrict) December 4, 2022

Police initially said the object left in the car was an elaborate hoax, but later confirmed that it was a viable explosive device.

Detectives previously said they were investigating a claim that the dissident republican group Arm na Poblachta was responsible.

A PSNI spokesman said the man was arrested under the Terrorism Act and taken to Musgrave Police Station for questioning.

The spokesman said he was being questioned on suspicion of kidnapping and possession of a firearm in connection with a separate incident that is believed to have taken place in Claudy on November 10th.

It is understood a man was threatened with a firearm and taken from premises on Main Street in the village by two masked men.