Christine Connor arriving at Belfast Laganside Courts in Belfast

AN AMERICAN man who a dissident republican woman tried to lure into her plot to murder police officers has been reported missing.

Zachary Gevelinger spent nine days being questioned in Belfast by police after he visited Christine Connor in Hydebank prison.

Last week Connor (31), who posed online as a Swedish model as part of her plot, pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of a police officer and other offences.

A missing person appeal by was made by police after Mr Gevelinger (28) was not seen since Wednesday at his home in Wisconsin.

The Platteville Police Department was yesterday unable to provide any update on the appeal for information.

Mr Gevelinger was detained in Belfast in July 2013 as Connor was held on remand accused of trying to kill two officers in a pipe-bomb attack.

The US student, who had no previous links to Irish republicanism, had been communicating with Connor on social networking sites prior to her arrest.

He was released pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service but was never charged with any offences.

Last week police described "lone wolf" dissident Connor as "deceitful and extremely dangerous".

Her co-accused Stuart Downes (31), who had been charged with offences linked to a bomb attack on police, took his own life last year.

Police later confirmed that Connor, from north Belfast, used a fictitious name and profile picture to entice her suspected accomplice through Facebook.