Dissident Republicans who claim to have shot at a police helicopter during a security alert in the Newtownbutler area on January 14 may have attacked a civilian helicopter, says the PSNI South Area Commander.
South Area Commander Chief Superintendent Andy Freeburn confirmed on Tuesday, January 19 that that there was no police service helicopter deployed in the Wattlebridge area on January 14, following claims from the Continuity IRA (CIRA) that shots had been fired at a police helicopter. It later came to light that there was a private helicopter travelling in the area on that day and if claims from CIRA are true, they may have opened fire at a civilian aircraft.