THREE MEN were being questioned by Police Service of Northern Ireland detectives last night following a police operation in Derry directed against the “Republican Action Against Drugs” vigilante group.
Eight weapons – five assault-type rifles and three handguns – were recovered during the operation. PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott said the arrests and seizure of guns were “significant” and were part of a crackdown against so-called punishment attacks in the city.
The group murdered Andrew Allen from Derry last year, has been responsible for wounding more than 40 people since 2008, and has ordered dozens of people to leave Derry or face attack.
Mr Baggott said the arrests were “part of an initiative which we have been pursuing for a number of months against paramilitary shootings”.
During the operation, police searched the home in Creggan of the Sinn Féin mayor of Derry, Kevin Campbell. A council-owned laptop, a camera and three phones were taken away for examination. Mr Campbell demanded that the police explain why they took this action and also called for an apology from them, and the return of the items.
The PSNI said the “necessity of these searches was properly and carefully considered” during the overall operation.
