Lyra McKee detectives search Saoradh offices

By Michael McHugh, Press Association

Detectives investigating the murder of journalist Lyra McKee have searched the headquarters of the republican Saoradh organisation.

They seized items in the Chamberlain Street area of Londonderry, but there were no arrests.

Inquiries are continuing, a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statement said.

Miss McKee was a promising young Belfast author aged 29.

She was a bystander when she was shot in the head during rioting in Londonderry on April 18.

Saoradh means liberation in Irish, and it describes itself as a revolutionary Irish republican party.

It has the support of the New IRA, which admitted responsibility for Miss McKee's killing.

She was standing next to a police vehicle in the Creggan estate when she was hit as a masked gunman fired towards police.

Police believe the violence was orchestrated in response to an earlier search by officers to avoid imminent trouble associated with the anniversary of the Easter Rising.

Several people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the murder.

Miss McKee's death sparked calls for fresh political negotiations at Stormont to break a powersharing impasse and deliver the resumption of devolution.

Talks led by the British Government and involving the main Stormont parties began on Tuesday in response.

A mural of the journalist has been painted in Belfast.

The poignant image in the city centre was created by Dublin artist Emma Blake.

Blake and 21 other artists blanketed most of Kent Street in new artwork over the bank holiday weekend as part of the annual Hit the North street art festival.