A man has been arrested under the Terrorism Act as part of an ongoing investigation into threats made against elected representatives in the Newry, Mourne and Down area.
Detectives from the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch confirmed on Tuesday (January 13) that the 46-year-old man was arrested following searches carried out in the wider Newry area.
Detective Chief Inspector Bradley said: “The man, aged 46, was arrested under the Terrorism Act.
“The searches and subsequent arrest form part of an investigation into reports of threats made to elected representatives in Newry, Mourne and Down.
“The arrested man remains in police custody at this time, assisting with enquiries.”
Officers from PSNI Serious Crime Branch and Local Policing teams in Newry, Mourne and Down are continuing to coordinate their efforts as the investigation progresses.
As previously reported, the PSNI has been investigating a series of sinister threats directed at councillors and Assembly members across the district. These included audio messages sent to a number of elected representatives identifying them as “legitimate targets”.
The threats were reportedly linked to a previously unheard-of group calling itself the “New Republican Movement”.
A video circulated on social media in December 2025 showed three armed and masked men standing in front of an Irish flag, claiming that local councillors and MLAs were being targeted over policies relating to immigration.
In the same month, a failed pipe bomb attack was carried out at a Sinn Féin office on Monaghan Street in Newry.
Police say enquiries are ongoing and have reiterated their commitment to fully investigating the threats, holding those responsible to account and keeping the community safe.
