Police arresting the suspect
John Toner
Today at 06:26
The suspect arrested over an arson attack on Larne FC is an employee of the club, Sunday Life can reveal.
Three vehicles in the carpark at Inver Park stadium, home of the back-to-back Irish League champions, were torched in the early hours of September 27.
The PSNI confirmed a suspect had been arrested on suspicion of the attack last Monday.
Sunday Life sources confirmed the identity of the man after images of his arrest were circulated on social media.
The employee of the club cannot be named for legal reasons.
The burned out cars
When Sunday Life called to his home to discuss the matter, he declined, telling us “I have nothing to say about it”, before slamming the door shut.
A spokesman for Larne FC said: “We are aware of an ongoing police investigation relating to an incident at Inver Park.
“Due to the nature of this investigation, as a club, we recognise the need for the police to follow their due processes.
“As a result, we will not be commenting any further until this is concluded.”
Sources in town blamed the attack on criminals with links to jailed dissidents Niall Lehd and Ciaran Maxwell, who grew up together in the Seacourt estate.
Larne FC majority owner and millionaire businessman Kenny Bruce previously said: “I know nothing about this.”
Larne majority owner Kenny Bruce
Niall Lehd is serving a 24-year sentence for making bombs and other munitions.
The 35-year-old was being supplied with high-grade weaponry by his childhood friend Ciaran Maxwell, a rogue Royal Marine who was stealing guns and explosives from his military base in England.
Special police officers discovered the munitions buried in hides at forests near Larne in 2016.
Maxwell (38) was jailed for 18 years for the thefts of the arms, some of which were used in dissident attacks.
A third republican, who was linked to the stolen weapons racket, has been named locally as ordering the Larne FC arson.
Sources said a female associate of this individual was the target of a recent drugs arrest by the PSNI.
“(Name redacted) is behind the arson attacks. He has an issue with Larne FC and took his anger out on innocent people by having their cars burnt out,” a source told us.
“It’s disgraceful and everyone is outraged. The football club is the biggest success story to come out of the town in years and now it’s being threatened by criminals.
“(Name redacted) was close to Niall Lehd, even though he is older than him.
“Lehd told people after his arrest that (name redacted) was making him store the guns Ciaran Maxwell was stealing.
“He was also selling some of the explosives to dissidents and criminals who used them in a couple of pipe-bomb attacks.”
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Mr Bruce, who made his millions through the Purplebricks website, took over the club in 2017, when it was languishing in the lower reaches of the Irish Championship.
In the seven years since, the team has been on a fairytale journey, winning the past two Irish league titles and qualifying for the Uefa Conference League.
Inver Park stadium
Manager Tiernan Lynch, who guided Larne through this period, had looked set to leave the club to join Scottish Premier League side St Johnstone but turned down the move last week.
Appealing for information on the Larne FC arson, the PSNI said: “We received a report that the vehicles had been destroyed by the fire.
“Officers attended the scene and were advised that ignition was believed to have been deliberate. We are investigating this as arson.”
Larne manager Tiernan Lynch
Alliance East Antrim MLA Danny Donnelly previously condemned the arson attack.
He said: “The kind of behaviour demonstrated here is reckless, irresponsible and dangerous. Deliberately intending to inflict harm on the community and damage property is appalling and must be condemned.
“We can only be glad no one was hurt, and I want to thank the emergency services for taking such swift and effective action.”
by TrucksNShit
4 comments
>Sources in town **blamed the attack on criminals with links to jailed dissidents** Niall Lehd and Ciaran Maxwell, who grew up together in the Seacourt estate.
>Larne FC majority owner and millionaire businessman Kenny Bruce previously said: “I know nothing about this.”
and…
> “(Name redacted) is behind the arson attacks. He has an issue with Larne FC and took his anger out on innocent people by having their cars burnt out,” a source told us.
>
> “It’s disgraceful and everyone is outraged. **The football club is the biggest success story to come out of the town in years and now it’s being threatened by criminals.**
>
> “(Name redacted) was close to Niall Lehd, even though he is older than him.
>
> “Lehd told people after his arrest that (name redacted) was making him store the guns Ciaran Maxwell was stealing.
>
> “He was also selling some of the explosives to dissidents and criminals who used them in a couple of pipe-bomb attacks.”
The important point here is the drug arrest of the associate. The associate just so happens to be high up in the club and spends their days driving round the town in the club minibus
Lovely lovely Larne.
I shouldn’t be giving him any publicity, but CJ Audits filming an armed police raid in Larne popped up on my feed recently.
Maybe that was arresting this guy.