A 50-YEAR-old man remained in police custody overnight, while four others were released “unconditionally” by the PSNI in connection with the car bomb that exploded in Derry city on Saturday evening.

It came after a number of security alerts in the city yesterday. Although a number of hijackings took place, police declared late last night that the alerts were “hoaxes”. 

As part of its investigation into the explosion which the PSNI says was carried out by a group called “the New IRA”, two 21-year-olds, a 42-year-old and a 34-year old were all arrested in the past few days. They’ve since been released without charge.

There were no injuries in the car bomb on Saturday night, and the attack has been roundly condemned in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain.

The PSNI responded to three security incidents in Derry yesterday that involved two vehicle hijackings and another incident where a van was reported abandoned outside a girls’ secondary school. 

Late last night, the PSNI said that the security alerts in the city had ended and people had returned to their homes.

District Commander Superintendent Gordon McCalmont said: “We can confirm that all three alerts are hoaxes however we cannot underestimate the impact these incidents have had on our community.”

At 8.20pm yesterday evening, the PSNI had said: “Folks we are responding to a report of an abandoned vehicle on the Northland Road close to the Glenbank Road junction. Please avoid the area at the time.”

It had earlier carried out a controlled explosion on a van hijacked by masked men in the Circular Road area of the city. The suspects threw an object in the back of the vehicle before abandoning it.

The PSNI also urged people to avoid rumours being spread on social media and listen to official information that was given out by authorities.

“I don’t want to sound like Donald Trump but there is a lot of Fake News,” its account for Derry tweeted. “I’m half expecting to read that the zombie apocalypse has just crested Sheriff’s Mount. We’ll keep you posted on real events.”