Man charged in Belfast over Coveney hoax bomb attack

A man arrested by detectives investigating the hijacking and placing of a suspect device in a van that targeted Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney when he was speaking at an event in Belfast earlier this year has been charged with firearms offences, police said on Saturday.

Two men allegedly hijacked the van on March 25th and ordered the driver to go to a peace-building event, where Coveney was speaking. Mr Coveney was taken off stage by officials and quickly driven away. The device was later declared a hoax.

Police said at the time that pro-British loyalist militants, most likely from the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), were behind the attack.

Police said on Saturday that detectives from the terrorism investigation unit had charged the man with possession of a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of a handgun without a certificate, and possession of ammunition without a certificate.

The 46-year-old man, who was arrested on Wednesday in relation to the bomb hoax, is due to appear in court later on Saturday, police said.

He was the second person charged in relation to the incident after another man was charged in March with preparation of terrorist acts, hijacking and the placing of an article causing a bomb hoax.

The UVF were among the loyalist militant groups who last year temporarily withdrew their support for the Belfast Agreement in protest at the terms of the Protocol.

A small group of militant groups remain active and carry out occasional attacks, but their capacity is tiny relative to during the Troubles. - Reuters

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