A 73-year-old Republican activist has become the latest to be charged in connection with the shooting of a member of the Crown Forces almost three years ago.

County Tyrone man Sean Coleman appeared in court in Strabane this week over the shooting of senior PSNI policeman John Caldwell in February 2023.

Saoradh condemned the latest move by the PSNI as “a stalling tactic designed to delay proceedings against numerous Republicans, and to provide an excuse to deny them their day in court.”

At present nearly twenty men are either effectively interned or subjected to draconian bail conditions relating to the gun attack, in which the off-duty Caldwell was seriously injured.

Although the case files were reportedly completed in March of last year, ongoing arrests have pushed back the process through the filing of further papers.

Saoradh said this was “a deliberate strategy by the British state to prolong the internment of those accused”.

They warned that despite the release of Mr Coleman on bail he has also been subjected to draconian bail conditions.

“Saoradh calls for the immediate release of all those interned because of their Republican beliefs and a lift of draconian bail conditions now. Being a Republican is not a crime.”