A Co Tyrone-based organised crime gang is being linked to the New IRA attempt to kill senior PSNI officer John Caldwell.
Details surfaced as two more arrests were made by the PSNI on Wednesday.
A 33-year-old man was arrested in Omagh while a 57-year-old man was detained in Belfast under the Terrorism Act.
Both were being questioned at Musgrave Street PSNI station.
To date eight men have been arrested as part of the large-scale PSNI investigation.
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The Irish News understands that some of those arrested in the last week have alleged connections to a well-organised crime group.
It is also believed that several of those detained are from a non-nationalist background.
Mr Caldwell (48), a detective chief inspector, remains in a critical but stable condition after being shot at the Youth Sport Omagh complex on the Killyclogher Road last Wednesday.
A claim of responsibility by the New IRA was posted on a wall in Derry on Sunday.
Around 10 rounds were fired at Mr Caldwell by two gunmen as he packed footballs into his car after a youth soccer training session.
It has been reported that he was struck four times as his young son looked on.
Four men, aged 22, 38, 43 and 45, arrested in the Coalisland, Stewartstown and Omagh areas of Co Tyrone last week were released on Tuesday.
A 71-year-old man arrested in the Omagh area on Saturday was released on Wednesday following questioning.
Police were also given additional time to question a 47-year-old man until 10pm on Thursday.
The Irish News revealed on Tuesday that a second off-duty PSNI officer was present at the Omagh sports complex when Mr Caldwell was shot and helped provide first aid to his seriously injured colleague.
Police say they have “gathered thousands of hours of CCTV footage” in the Omagh and Belfast areas as part of their investigation.
It is understood a revolver and 9mm handgun were used in the attack and that both spent and live rounds were recovered from the scene.
Earlier this week the PSNI revealed details of the gunmen’s suspected getaway car, which was discovered burnt out at Racolpa Road, between Omagh and Carrickmore.
The PSNI is also investigating the discovery of a second burnt-out car, which is understood to have been found in the Coalisland area.
Meanwhile, comedian Patrick Kielty, whose father Jack was killed by loyalists in 1988, has said that hearing about Mr Caldwell’s shooting invoked memories of his own father’s murder.
