PSNI gets more time to question three men over Belfast bomb

Group calling itself New IRA claimed to have carried out attack on prison officer last Friday

In a statement to the BBC,  a dissident republican group calling itself the New IRA reportedly said a prison officer was targeted because he was involved in training other guards at Maghaberry high security jail (above), near Lisburn. File photograph: Google Street View
In a statement to the BBC, a dissident republican group calling itself the New IRA reportedly said a prison officer was targeted because he was involved in training other guards at Maghaberry high security jail (above), near Lisburn. File photograph: Google Street View

Police investigating a bomb attack on a prison officer in Belfast have been given extra time to question three men.

The 52-year-old, a married father of three, required surgery after an explosive device detonated under the van he was driving on Friday, March 4th.

A spokesman for the PSNI said detectives had been granted an additional 48 hours to question the 34-, 39- and 45-year-old suspects, who were detained on Sunday.

A 34-year-old woman who was also arrested has been released unconditionally, according to the PSNI.

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A group calling itself the New IRA claimed to have carried out the attack.

In a statement to the BBC, the dissident republican group reportedly said the officer was targeted because he was involved in training other guards at Maghaberry high security jail, near Lisburn.

They said the officer was one of a number on a list of potential targets and the attack arose from a dispute over the treatment of dissident republican inmates.

The group also claimed to have used the plastic explosive Semtex and a commercial detonator in the attack.

Following the blast, police commanders expressed fears it could be the first of a number of dissident republican attacks to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising.

Press Association