Dissident republicans opposed to peace and power-sharing in Northern Ireland will attempt to launch a major attack in the runup to Christmas, the region’s most senior anti-terrorist officer warned on Monday.
Will Kerr, assistant chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), said the new IRA, Continuity IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann groups were all planning to carry out bombings and shootings during the festive period.
Kerr described the threat from the anti-ceasefire hardline republican organisations as severe.
He said there was a strong possibility that the three groups were going to intensify their violence over the next few weeks.
Although the PSNI, alongside MI5, have inflicted some serious blows, the dissidents remained dangerous, according to Kerr. “They could do real harm and we will be working extremely hard over Christmas to tackle this threat,” he added.
The senior PSNI anti-terrorist officer said the force decided to issue the public warning on Monday in order to make people vigilant about the threat.
“There is no point trying to apply logic to the actions of these groups. They remain unrepresentative remnants from a past that no one wants to return to.
“But they are a dangerous remnant and they retain the intent and capability to do real and serious harm to communities across Northern Ireland, including their own,” Kerr said.
He appealed to members of the public to watch out for suspicious objects while out shopping and pass on any information to the PSNI.
Last month the PSNI, with the aid of MI5, raided a house in Newry close to the border with the Irish Republic and arrested a dozen men the police believe are senior members of the Continuity IRA.
A subsequent non-jury trial court case relating to six of those arrested heard that MI5 had bugged Continuity IRA ‘“army council” meetings and had recorded 65 hours of alleged conversations from CIRA leaders.
In Belfast meanwhile the Óglaigh na hÉireann group has been responsible for two rocket-grenade attacks on PSNI Land Rovers in north Belfast. No one was injured in either incident.
