UK freezes assets of Northern Ireland man linked to New IRA activities

The UK has frozen the assets of Brian Sheridan, a man from Northern Ireland, under counter-terrorism laws. This action is based on his suspected involvement with the New Irish Republican Army and facilitating terrorist activities. The government claims it has "reasonable cause" to suspect Sheridan's connections to the New IRA, which opposes the Good Friday Agreement. The group has been linked to various attacks, including the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in 2019. This marks the first use of a new financial sanctions regime targeting terrorism related to Northern Ireland. The sanctions prohibit any financial dealings with Sheridan.