A 21-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested under the Terrorism Act in Derry on suspicious of dissident republican activity. 

Following searches in the Hollyhall Road area yesterday where a number of items were seized and taken away for forensic examination, a further search was carried out this morning at a property in the Creggan area. 

The 21-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of dissident republican activity linked to a paramilitary style assault in the city last Friday, in which a teenager was found by a police officer on patrol lying on the grass.

He has been taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite where he is currently being questioned by detectives. 

“We are committed to tackling all types of violence linked to dissident republican activity,” Detective Inspector Orr said.

Those responsible for carrying out these type of assaults do not care about their own community – they give no thought to the psychological damage that they cause to people witnessing the attacks.

“The reality is that they use fear and violence to exert control over communities for their own selfish gains.” 

Orr said the PSNI will “continue to work with communities to reduce the threat posed by those involved in such activity and would ask people to contact police if they have any suspicions about terrorist activity”.