Police make eight more arrests linked to gangland feud

Police have arrested and charged eight more people, aged 16 to 38, in an investigation into an ongoing gangland feud.

Since March there has been a series of assaults, shootings and firebombing incidents in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

A total of 20 people have now been arrested, and face charges including attempted murder, fire-raising, firearms offences and road traffic offences.

Police Scotland said the violence was linked to rival groups targeting each other and that the "horrendous offences" would not be tolerated.

On Wednesday, a 16-year-old boy and a man were arrested as part of the gangland probe.

Marshall O'Hara, 20, has since appeared in court charged with three attempted murders.

He is also accused of assaulting nine people on April 7 at three properties in Riddrie, Glasgow; Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire; and Stepps, North Lanarkshire.

O'Hara made no plea at a private hearing in Glasgow Sheriff Court and was remanded in custody.

On Thursday, officers seized firearms during a search of two properties in South Queensferry.

Two men, aged 36 and 38, were arrested and charged in connection with firearms offences.

Police also made four other arrests earlier in the week.

Ryan Carlin, 23, and Sean Doyle, 24, later appeared before Glasgow Sheriff Court accused of conspiracy linked to the probe.

Carlin, of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, faced further road traffic charges which includes dangerous driving.

Carlin and Doyle, of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, are also accused of a charge of reset.

The pair were committed for further examination and remanded into custody.

On Wednesday, police arrested and charged a 38-year-old man in Edinburgh over the reset of a stolen vehicle and being in possession of weapons.

A 16-year-old boy was also arrested and charged over the reset of a stolen vehicle and culpable and reckless behaviour.

Police Scotland said it had a dedicated team gathering hundreds of pieces of evidence to build cases against those responsible for the attacks.

Det Ch Supt David Ferry said the arrests highlighted the ongoing efforts to catch those responsible.

He said: "As well as carrying out these days of action and disruption activities, there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, including exploring forensic opportunities and analysis of digital devices.

"While this may not be as visible, please be assured we are working tirelessly to build cases and are following a number of significant lines of inquiry."

Det Ch Supt Ferry said a "good response" from the public to recent appeals for information had led to some of the arrests and thanked people for their help.

He added the young ages of some of those arrested was particularly worrying.

Det Ch Supt Ferry also expressed concern at social media videos featuring some of the incidents.

The senior officer said: "In terms of the young dynamic, and the glamorisation of it [the incidents], that is something new.

"It is concerning but these arrests will hopefully go some to way to reassure the public that we are taking this very seriously, and we are putting the net out far and wide in terms of law enforcement support."

Anyone with information is urged to contact Police Scotland.

The unrest began on 2 March after a car was set on fire in Edinburgh's Parrotshot area near The Jewel.

A beauty salon in Leith and a garage in Portobello were also targeted over a 10-day period.

Later, shots were reported as being fired at two properties in Niddrie and Pilton in separate incidents.

Further firebomb attacks were reported on another house in Niddrie at the start of April, just as the first property in Glasgow was targeted in the Robroyston area.

A carpet business in Bishopbriggs and another commercial premises in Kirkintilloch were also hit, alongside homes in Glasgow and Stepps.

Earlier this month, a 72-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy were assaulted at a house in Egilsay Crescent in Milton, Glasgow.

And three people were charged in connection with drugs and firearms offences after a raid on a house in Edinburgh.