Further arrests made over Police officer shooting

A further two men have been arrested over the attempted murder bid on a police officer in North Belfast.

Detectives investigating the attempted murder of a policeman in Northern Ireland have made two more arrests.

The men, aged 30 and 39, were detained in west Belfast in connection with the petrol station forecourt shooting of a young officer in north Belfast.

A 36-year-old man arrested in the wake of Sunday's shooting remained in custody on Monday night.

The community officer was shot three times in the arm and commanders believe his body armour may have saved him from further harm.

Detectives believe rounds may have been fired from behind a fence across the road from the garage forecourt on the Crumlin Road on Sunday night as two officers emerged from the shop.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for the attack.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable George Hamilton spoke with the officer on Monday as he recovered from emergency surgery.

"He is in good spirits," he said.

"I never cease to be amazed by the bravery and the professionalism of police officers like him that I come across on a day-to-day basis."

Mr Hamilton said the victim was in a fairly serious condition and was injured on the right arm, suffering significant damage.

He spent three hours in an operating theatre overnight and is expected to undergo more surgery in the days ahead.

Mr Hamilton added: "I would condemn this despicable attack, this act of complete recklessness as the filling station out on the Crumlin Road was riddled with high-velocity gunfire last night at 7.30 when people were going about their normal business, going to fill their cars up with fuel and buy groceries for children's lunches."

He added: "Our police officers are citizens in uniform. This officer was a member of the community.

"He was attacked but other members of the community were at massive risk as well and the people who did this did not care who they murdered last night, albeit it was clear the attack was aimed at the police officers on duty."

Police have appealed for anyone who saw an Audi saloon car in the area at the time to contact them.

Dissident republicans have attempted to kill several members of the security forces in Northern Ireland in recent years.

Police, soldiers and prison officers have all died at their hands.

PSNI Chief Constable @ChiefConPSNI on last night's shooting on the Crumlin Road pic.twitter.com/tEqQFSKfNd

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) January 23, 2017

Detective Superintendant Kevin Geddes said: " We would like to trace the movements of a dark red Audi A4 Estate, registration number KNZ 2862. It’s around 15 years old - an old-style model. We believe it was used by those involved to leave the scene following the shooting.

“I am keen to hear from anyone who saw the vehicle around the Flax Street and Crumlin Road around 7.30pm last night and in Culmore Gardens about 30 minutes later at 8pm where it was found burnt out. I’d also like to hear from anyone who noticed this car and its movements during December 2016 up to last night’s shooting.

“We have recovered bullets from a number of locations on the forecourt and in several cars. Any one of these could quite easily killed or seriously injured local people, including the children who were at the station.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable said he believed the shooting was pre-planned.

George Hamilton said "Incidents of this nature don't happen ad hoc or in an opportunistic way," he said.

"We'd be pretty convinced this is a planned operation to attack a police office.

"But it was actually an attack on the whole community - there were people filling their cars on that garage forecourt.

"People walking from the forecourt to their cars with bullets whizzing around them and striking the garage forecourt - completely reckless. Whatever people's motivation is for doing this, it is absolutely crazy - just reckless."

Mr Hamilton said detectives were investigating whether the officer was actually struck more than twice and if his body armour prevented further more serious injury.

Officers have appealed for anyone who saw an Audi vehicle at the scene to contact detectives.

Dissident republicans have attempted to kill several members of the security forces in Northern Ireland in recent years. Police, soldiers and prison officers have all died at their hands.

The attack comes amid warnings that a political vacuum has been created by the collapse of Stormont power-sharing.

MLA for Belfast North William Humphrey, speaks to @qnewsdesk from the Crumlin Road pic.twitter.com/8lvpi04Xaw

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) January 23, 2017

Mark Lindsay, chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland, said: "This attack on the life of an officer is a stark reminder of the determination on the part of terrorists to murder and maim police officers.

"They believe that by causing great grief to a family they are somehow advancing their warped and outdated plan."

He said it underlined the fragility of the peace.

The threat against police is classed as severe and Mr Lindsay warned officers to be vigilant.

The attack comes as Northern Ireland prepares for fresh elections after the collapse of power-sharing.

Former deputy first minister Martin McGuinness resigned in protest over a botched green energy scheme which is predicted to leave taxpayers millions of pounds out of pocket.