Despite the decline in violence in Northern Ireland in recent decades, activists in favor of the reunification of all Ireland continue to resort to terrorism. The British government wants to avoid any incident during the visit of Joe Biden scheduled for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998.
The terrorist threat level in Northern Ireland has been raised from “significant” to “serious” by the security services, the British government announced on Tuesday, shortly before an expected visit by US President Joe Biden and the former President Bill Cinton for the 25th anniversary of the peace accord.
Announcing this increase, decided by the internal intelligence services, the British government underlines “the increase in the level of terrorist activity”, referring to the recent attempted murder of a police officer.
Attack “highly probable”
This level means that an attack is considered “highly probable”, said in a written statement to Parliament the British Minister for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris, stressing that the public must remain “vigilant” without for might as well be “alarmed”.
“Over the past 25 years, Northern Ireland has transformed into a peaceful society”, “however, a small number of people remain determined to harm our people through politically motivated acts of violence”, continues the text.
This refers to the attempted murder of police officer John Caldwell, who was shot several times on February 22 by two men while coaching children in football in the town of Omagh (center ). This attack, unanimously condemned by the political leaders of the British province, took place shortly before the 25th anniversary of the peace agreement, signed on April 10, 1998, after three decades of deadly conflict which left 3,500 dead.
Police suspect the New IRA, a dissident Republican group, which has admitted responsibility for two attacks in recent years. In April 2021, a bomb was planted under a policewoman’s car in front of her home.
Tensions in Northern Ireland in the context of Brexit
“Northern Ireland’s political future rests on the democratic will of the people and not the violent actions of the few,” said Chris Heaton-Harris, “together we will ensure there is no turning back of the violence of the past”.
The province is also at a delicate political moment: if London and Brussels have finally reached an agreement on the post-Brexit provisions in the province, the local political institutions are still paralyzed because of the boycott of the unionists of the DUP, viscerally attached to the membership of the British province in the United Kingdom.
DUP chief Jeffrey Donaldson called MI5’s decision “bad news”, expressing in a statement his hope that the terrorist threat will one day be lifted. “But to achieve this, the public must support the police and show that there is no place for terrorism in Northern Ireland in 2023,” he added.
Republican Sinn Fein leader Michelle O’Neill, who is set to become premier of the province in the event of a restart of local institutions, has meanwhile stressed on Twitter that there is “no place for paramilitary groups” , “they must leave”.
