Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

IRA behind abduction, say police

Ireland Correspondent,David McKittrick
Saturday 21 February 2004 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The head of the Police Service of Northern Ireland yesterday blamed the IRA for an incident in which a dissident republican was abducted and injured in Belfast on Friday.

Four men were arrested after an unmarked police vehicle stopped a van near the city centre. A fifth person, republican Bobby Tohill, was found injured and was treated in hospital.

Chief Constable Hugh Orde said: "The activity was Provisional IRA activity. We are talking about an operation by uniformed officers from a local police station who arrested people who are connected to the Provisional IRA."

Tohill, a one-time republican prisoner believed to sympathise with the breakaway Real IRA, was said to have been abducted from a bar near theFalls Road.

Sinn Fein said it opposes incidents such as that on Friday. A spokesman said: "The details of last night's incident are not clear. We have heard allegations like this before."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in