This one should be worth watching as more information comes out. Gardaí in Donegal have now arrested 11 men over “ongoing investigations into paramilitary activity”. Seven were arrested last night and four this afternoon. And among the seven arrested last night.. were four BBC journalists. We’ll have to wait to see what, if any, charges are brought. According to the BBC report
The BBC has said the journalists were working on a BBC NI current affairs investigation and had full editorial authority under the BBC’s guidelines. A spokesperson said the other parties present were fully aware that they were with BBC journalists.
And from the iol report
A spokeswoman for the service said that meant they had approval for what they were doing. But she refused to say anything else about the arrests, citing the matter’s sensitivity.
Indeed. Adds The International Herald Tribune coverage hints at a possible scenario. Update The 4 BBC journalists have been released without charge. And, as this report notes
The journalists were probing Real IRA activity in the area for BBC’s Spotlight programme, which also produces material for Panorama.
More From the BBC’s Vincent Kearney.
“Four of those people were BBC journalists. The van, I understand, was not being driven by a member of BBC staff,” he said. “I am told that initially the driver of the van refused to stop when ordered to do so. “The van was then forced to stop when it was rammed by a police car. Heavily armed police officers forced open the doors and arrested all seven men inside.”
Final Update Further details at this post.
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