Suspect in 2015 car-bomb attack on PSNI officer arrested in Scotland

He was detained in Glasgow on suspicion of attempted murder and possession of explosives with intent to endanger life.

The suspect, 35, was held by Police Scotland officers in connection with the incident in Eglinton, Co Londonderry, in June 2015.

The PSNI target had an improvised explosive placed under his car.

At the time, detectives blamed dissident republicans opposed to the peace process.

PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell said: “Today’s arrest follows a direction on the charges by the Public Prosecution Service following which a European Arrest Warrant was issued in 2017 to extradite the man from the Republic of Ireland.

“However, he fled the jurisdiction and today he was arrested in Scotland and transported back to Northern Ireland.

“The police investigation into this incident remains active.”

A court warrant had been issued for today’s police action.

He is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court via video-link from Musgrave custody suite in the city tomorrow.

Back in 2015, then justice minister David Ford praised the woman who thwarted the bombers trying to plant the device under her husband’s car.

She noticed the suspicious activity outside their home and quickly alerted colleagues.

At the time District Commander Mark McEwan said the wife of the officer concerned was also a member of the PSNI.

“This could have been a tragedy,” he added.

“The target of focus of the investigation is dissident republicans.

“This officer serves the community day and daily. He keeps people safe. Someone has crept in and planted a bomb underneath his car.”

A neighbour of the two police officers said that the policewoman disturbed someone outside her house by knocking the window.