Man Detained for allegedly gathering data vital to terrorists: UK
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The arrest took place in Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and the 39-year-old person was apprehended through a broader effort by law enforcement.
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Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd speaking at a news conference on August 9, 2023. (AP)
A man suspected of gathering information potentially useful for terrorists has been detained by the United Kingdom's police as part of an ongoing large-scale operation following a significant data breach that occurred within the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The arrest took place in Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and the 39-year-old person was apprehended through a broader effort by law enforcement.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Hill stated that the police's focus is on disrupting criminal activities associated with the data breach, safeguarding communities, officers, and staff, and addressing the risks posed. The arrest was not related to investigating the data breach itself; instead, it was prompted by the widespread circulation of leaked data online, as per Sky News' senior Ireland correspondent, David Blevins.
The PSNI experienced a major data leak recently, exposing the personal details of all its officers and personnel on the Internet for a period of up to three hours. This breach affected approximately 10,000 police officers in Northern Ireland, with leaked information encompassing names, ranks, work locations, and other personal data, excluding home addresses. The breach was attributed to human error, and the PSNI issued an apology for the incident.
Similar breaches compromising the personal information of numerous police officers were reported in various UK counties, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cumbria. Following the data breach in Northern Ireland, dissident Republicans claimed to have the leaked personal data.
These incidents have raised concerns due to the history of Republican paramilitary groups targeting Northern Irish police officers, which has led to an elevated terrorist threat level in the region.
