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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Republican candidate is arrested | Republican candidate is arrested |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Independent republican candidate Gerry McGeough has been arrested over "serious terrorist crime". | Independent republican candidate Gerry McGeough has been arrested over "serious terrorist crime". |
| Mr McGeough, who is 46 and a candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, was arrested after leaving the count centre in Omagh on Thursday afternoon. | Mr McGeough, who is 46 and a candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, was arrested after leaving the count centre in Omagh on Thursday afternoon. |
| It is understood he is being questioned about the attempted murder of a UDR member in 1981. | It is understood he is being questioned about the attempted murder of a UDR member in 1981. |
| A 44-year-old man has also been arrested in Aughnacloy. Police said the two arrests are linked. | A 44-year-old man has also been arrested in Aughnacloy. Police said the two arrests are linked. |
| They said both men were being questioned about serious terrorist crime dating back several years. | They said both men were being questioned about serious terrorist crime dating back several years. |
| Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew called for Mr McGeough's release, describing the arrest as "political policing". | |
| The party's president Gerry Adams also said Mr McGeough should be set free. | |
| "He was campaigning openly and attended one of our meetings. He should be released," he said. | |
| Factors | |
| However, the police have said they took a number of factors into consideration before making the arrest. | |
| "Police became aware that this individual had re-entered the jurisdiction some time ago but it was not possible to effect an arrest immediately because of the complexity of the investigation and the need to recover and re-examine evidence dating back many years. | |
| "Police acted as soon as the required operational processes had been completed and the appropriate resources were in place. | |
| "The rationale for the arrest and its timing was based on the police obligation to investigate serious crime," a PSNI statement said. | |
| He is being held at Antrim PSNI station. | He is being held at Antrim PSNI station. |
| Mr McGeough received 814 first preference votes on an anti-PSNI ticket. | Mr McGeough received 814 first preference votes on an anti-PSNI ticket. |
| It is believed he is being questioned about an incident in 1981 in which an off-duty UDR man was shot at while he was in a van. | It is believed he is being questioned about an incident in 1981 in which an off-duty UDR man was shot at while he was in a van. |
| He was able to return fire with his personal protection weapon and injured one of his IRA attackers. | He was able to return fire with his personal protection weapon and injured one of his IRA attackers. |