Ireland
Four BBC journalists were arrested in County DonegPosted Apr 11 2008
Four BBC journalists were arrested in County Donegal during an Irish police anti-terrorist operation March 16. The journalists were meeting leaders in the dissident republican group Real IRA, the Guardian reports. The journalists were working on a program about the 10th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement for the BBC Northern Ireland program Spotlight, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
Recent intelligence reports say Real IRA has imported Russian made rocket-propelled grenades north of Ireland. Members of the underground organization shot two off-duty police officers in Northern Ireland last November, vowing to increase violent attacks. Security had been on high alert due to the Queen’s visit to Belfast later in the week.
The four men were held in the county jail to investigate “ongoing paramilitary activities” and released the next day. The journalists have since received death threats from dissident republicans groups, according to the Belfast Telegraph.