PSNI data breach: Man arrested in investigation into linked criminality

A man has been arrested as part of an investigation linked to the major breach of data from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

The 39-year-old was arrested on suspicion of collection of information likely to be useful to terrorists.

The data, which was mistakenly released, included the surnames and initials of 10,000 PSNI staff.

The PSNI's Chief Constable Simon Byrne has said the information is in the hands of dissident republicans.

The arrest happened in Lurgan, County Armagh, following a search operation.

The police said the arrest was made by detectives "investigating criminality linked to last week's Freedom of Information data breach".

PSNI Det Ch Supt Andy Hill said officers are "working tirelessly to address the risk posed to officers and staff".

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"Today's search operation, and subsequent arrest, is just one piece of a large-scale operation.

"We will continue in our efforts to disrupt criminal activity associated with this Freedom of Information data breach and to keep communities, and our officers and staff who serve them, safe."

How did the data breach happen?

Last week, Mr Byrne apologised for what he described as a breach of data on an "industrial scale".

It was one of two breaches that emerged over a two-day period, which caused considerable concern among PSNI officers and staff who face continuing threat from paramilitaries and must be extremely vigilant about their personal security.

In the wake of the data breach, nearly half of Northern Ireland's officers have contacted the Police Federation about potential damages.

The PSNI's Chief Constable Simon Byrne has said the information is in the hands of dissident republicans

The first, and biggest, breach happened when data was made public in error by police responding to a routine Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

The information appeared online for three hours last Tuesday, leading the PSNI to update its security advice to its officers and staff.

The surname and initials of every employee, their rank or grade, where they are based and the unit they work in, including sensitive areas such as surveillance and intelligence, were included.

Information about a second data breach, involving the theft of a spreadsheet with the names of 200 officers and staff, emerged the following day.

The PSNI said documents, along with a police-issue laptop and radio, were believed to have been stolen from a private vehicle in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, on 6 July.