'Strong intelligence' terror attacks planned against Northern Ireland police officers on Easter Monday

7 April 2023, 07:54 | Updated: 7 April 2023, 13:44

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

There is "strong intelligence" that terror attacks are being planned against police officers in Northern Ireland on Easter Monday, authorities have said.

Officers will be moved to frontline duties to counter any terror threats, a move which has not been used for years, Simon Byrne, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable, said.

Attacks are being planned for Easter Monday, which also happens to be the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA).

Speaking in Belfast, Ireland's deputy premier Micheal Martin described the threat of attacks as "criminality in its worst form" and said "very evil people are contemplating this".

MI5 chiefs had already taken the decision to raise the terror attack threat level to severe, meaning an attack is "highly likely".

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Dissent appears to have been growing in Northern Ireland in recent months, with the police chief's warning coming less than two months after the shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell

Mr Caldwell was shot at a sports complex on Killyclogher Road.

Police have blamed the New IRA for the attack.

"It's going to be a really significant weekend for the PSNI," Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton told a press conference in Belfast.

"There is also very strong community intelligence specifically coming forward in respect of Monday's events in Derry/Londonderry and a real concern that there may be attempts to draw police in to serious public disorder and to use that then as a platform to launch terrorist attacks on police as well.

"So going into our operation that's something that is very clearly right at the forefront of my mind, the minds of the commanders that will be delivering that and of course our officers as well."

It comes as US President Joe Biden prepares to visit the country to mark the GFA's anniversary.

Mr Biden is set to speak TDs, senators and MEPs in the Dail chamber as part of a state visit to Ireland next week.

The president's trip will begin in Belfast before moving onto Dublin.He will also visit County Louth and County Mayo, where his family were from.