Northern Ireland: Police warn of attacks by dissidents over Easter weekend

Police in Northern Ireland have warned that dissident Republicans may carry out attacks over the Easter weekend. Tensions have risen as this weekend, the Good Friday Agreement completes 25 years. The police said they have "strong" intelligence that dissidents were planning to stage attacks against officers.

The police have also warned that there can be street violence in Derry.

The Guardian quoted PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne who said that “exceptional circumstances” of the Easter weekend would mean that police personnel will be moved to frontline duties.

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Later this month, US President Joe Biden is due to visit Northern Ireland and Ireland.

MI5, UK's domestic spy agency, recently raised the terror level in Northern Ireland to "severe". This means that an incident is judged "highly likely".

Northern Ireland saw three decades of sectarian conflict over British rule, known as "The Troubles", that claimed some 3,500 lives.But the province stands transformed since the Good Friday Agreement was adopted on April 10, 1998.

"However, a small number of people remain determined to cause harm to our communities through acts of politically motivated violence," Northern Ireland Secretary Heaton-Harris told parliament earlier.

He urged the public to "remain vigilant, but not be alarmed" at the announcement.

Raising the terror threat level follows a police officer being shot and seriously wounded in front of his son last month, while November saw a failed bomb attack on two officers.

Both attacks have been blamed on a dissident militant group called the "New IRA", which wants reunification with the Republic of Ireland.

The threat level was lowered to "substantial" a year ago -– the first change since 2010.

(With inputs from agencies)

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