.PoliceServiceNI says the attempted murder of off-duty officer John Caldwell is being treated as terrorist-related and its primary line of enquiry is the New IRA
He is one of the best-known detectives in the PSNI, often fronting press conferences on major inquiries during his 26-year career.
Within a year, its suspected leadership was rounded-up by the PSNI following a surveillance operation run by MI5 using an alleged agent. But the New IRA was re-organising and in November it mounted a roadside bomb attack, using military grade explosives, on a police patrol car in Strabane.The attack has now been followed up with the attempted murder, less than 20 miles away, of Det Ch Insp Caldwell.
"He was taking a kids' training session - it's hard to compute that someone would try to attempt to kill John at that moment," said Mr Lyons.
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