Cars 'used by gunmen involved in shooting of PSNI officer John Caldwell' caught on CCTV

Police say newly-released CCTV footage and photographs show cars used by those involved in the attempted murder of DCI John Caldwell.

The senior PSNI officer was shot multiple times outside a sports centre in Omagh on 22 February.

He is now on the road to recovery - and was among guests in attendance at a garden party in Royal Hillsborough this week hosted by the King and Queen.

CCTV was released on Friday after raids were carried out in Omagh and Coalisland and 11 people aged between 21 and 72 were arrested under the Terrorism Act.

The footage shows three vehicles travelling in a convoy on the Drumnakilly Road to Omagh on the night the attack took place.

Detective Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan said: “My investigation has progressed and I now believe a black Mercedes Benz C-Class (W204) 4-door saloon (2007/8 - 2014) was used as an operational vehicle by the New IRA both before and immediately after the attack when it was used to transport the gunmen and others away from the site of the burned out Ford Fiesta in Raculpa Road, referred to as Fiesta One.

“I am appealing for information about who was in this black Mercedes vehicle, where it was before the shooting and where it went afterwards. I know it travelled in a convoy on the Drumnakilly Road headed towards Omagh at 5.43pm on the 22nd with the two blue Ford Fiestas before the attack took place.

“I am also releasing new images today of the two Ford Fiestas.

“The new photograph of Fiesta One shows it leaving Barrack Street in Coalisland at 4.55pm on the afternoon of the shooting and travelling to Omagh. It had registration number MGZ 6242, and was fitted with false plates, FRZ 8414, prior to the attack. 

"We know this vehicle left the sports complex and turned left onto the Killyclogher Road immediately after the shooting. It then travelled past Glendale Service Station to the Racolpa Road where it was abandoned and set on fire. We believe it travelled into Coalisland around 10pm on the previous night, the 21st.

“I am also releasing a new image of Fiesta Two, registration number RLZ 9805, with a missing alloy hubcap seen at 2.00pm at Tamnamore Park and Ride on 22nd February.

"I need to know where it travelled to from here before being burned out in Ardboe Industrial Estate the following day, Thursday 23rd February."

Detective Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan continued: “I am appealing to anyone who has information about the movements of these vehicles, or the people within them, to contact police or Crimestoppers anonymously.

"No piece of information is too small."

He added that Crimestoppers is offering one of the largest rewards of £150,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the attempted murder.

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