FOUR people were arrested in Northern Ireland yesterday in connection with a letter bomb sent to Oxford’s Armed Forces Recruitment Office in February.

Two men, aged 35 and 46, and two women, aged 21 and 44, were arrested in Londonderry and were last night being questioned by detectives investigating letter bombs which were sent to six recruitment offices, including one in St Giles, and the Queensmere shopping centre in Slough, Berkshire.

In October last year explosive devices were also sent to a number of high-profile figures in Northern Ireland including the Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, and the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) at the time, Matt Baggott.

Two other letter bombs were intercepted at Royal Mail offices in the province.

An Irish dissident republican group calling itself the IRA claimed responsibility for the attempted attacks.

None of the devices detonated.

A PSNI spokesman yesterday said: “Police investigating a series of devices sent to addresses in Northern Ireland and England last year and earlier this year have arrested four people in Londonderry this morning.

“Two men, aged 35 and 46, and two women, aged 21 and 44, were arrested in the city and taken to the Serious Crime Suite at Antrim police station for interview.

“The investigation is being led by detectives from PSNI Serious Crime Branch who have been working in close liaison with officers from the South East Counter Terrorism Unit in England.”

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