:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/PWNBVS4CG5EZXYBYFO2AZ5BDSA.jpg)
A prominent loyalist is believed to be one of two men arrested by police investigating a hijacking and hoax bomb alert which led to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney being evacuated from a peace event in Belfast in March.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said a 46-year-old man was arrested under the Terrorism Act in the Shankill area of the city on Wednesday. Two suspected firearms were recovered and a vehicle taken away for examination.
A 51-year-old man was arrested in the Ballymena area and a van seized.
Both men are being questioned in the Serious Crime Suite in Musgrave police station in Belfast.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/DMNMFQW4G5AH7HMEIVIRI2ZAWI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/ACKO4H2DYZF3PIJOAXAZTJ3V6E.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/SALWMXFOSJHRDBANB6BQQ3MCAI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/AARITGTWTDZYOSJGPOVZCY5K6A.jpg)
Mr Coveney had to leave the event organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation in north Belfast on March 25th.
The Houben Centre on the Crumlin Road was evacuated and a funeral service at nearby Holy Cross Church was disrupted.
Police said the driver of a van was threatened by two gunmen and forced to drive a device, which he believed to be a live bomb, to the church.
One man has appeared in court charged in connection with the incident.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/7d1a94a7-9f0b-4903-a37b-f1a5925c234c.png)