Write a comment
A 62-year-old man has been arrested in connection to sinister threats made to Newry, Mourne and Down councillors.
Detectives from the Serious Crime Branch made the arrest following a search in the Poyntzpass area on Tuesday February 3.
It is understood this is the third arrest of a person with alleged links to the ‘New Republican Movement’ to have made threats to local elected members.
Detective Chief Inspector Fenton said: “The man, aged 62, was arrested under the Terrorism Act and he remains in police custody at this time, assisting with our enquiries.
“The man is the third to be arrested as part of our investigation into reports of threats made to elected representatives in Newry, Mourne and Down.
“Officers from both PSNI Serious Crime Branch and Local Policing in Newry, Mourne and Down are continuing to coordinate their efforts and work together to fully investigate threats directed towards our elected representatives, hold those responsible to account, and keep our community safe.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has previously reported on audio messages being sent to a number of elected members of Sinn Fein, Alliance and the SDLP identifying them as “legitimate targets”.
A failed pipe bomb attack was carried out at Sinn Fein office in Monaghan Street, Newry around that time.
A video threat in December 2025 was also made by three armed and masked men in front of an Irish flag, in a video circulating on social media.
One of them read a statement which said the area’s assembly members and councillors were considered targets because of “policies” around immigration.
The video threats purport to come from a previously unheard of group calling itself the “New Republican Movement”.
The council has been contacted for comment.
