Leading loyalist one of two men arrested over Simon Coveney security alert

Simon Coveney was notified of the alert by his team shortly after he began speaking at the event in March

A leading loyalist is thought to be one of two men arrested over a security alert by the Ulster Volunteer Force at an event attended by Simon Coveney.

The Irish foreign minister was giving a peace-building talk in north Belfast in March when a van was hijacked and there was elaborate hoax bomb.

A number of operations have been carried out in the Shankill area of Belfast and in Ballymena.

Two men - aged 46 and 51 - were detained under the Terrorism Act.

The police say two suspected weapons have been seized and two vehicles removed for further examination.

The security alert in March involving Mr Coveney has been blamed on the UVF and loyalist opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol .