POLICE IN THE North have arrested a 46-year-old man on suspicion of dissident republican activity.

Detectives from the PSNI’s Terrorism Investigation Unit detained the man earlier today under the Terrorism Act.

He was arrested in the Cityside area of Derry, and is suspected of the attempted murder of an off duty police officer in the city on 22 February 2017.

A viable bomb was found underneath a vehicle at the home of an officer in the Ardanlee area.

The man has been taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite for questioning.

Police said that they believed the attempted murder to be the work of the New IRA, and linked this incident with an attack in October 2014 which was also an attempt to murder police officers.

Detective superintendent John McVea said: “We believe the New IRA is responsible for both attacks. I can also confirm that the same type of pressure plate device was used on both occasions.”

These type of devices are designed to “murder and seriously injure people”, he said.

“If this UVIED had exploded with our colleague and his young family in the car earlier this year it would have had devastating consequences,” McVea added.