Dissident threat remains high warns commission

The threat from dissident republicans remains high, according to the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC), in its 23rd report.

Based on paramilitary activity between September 1, 2009, and the end of February this year, the IMC said the threat is “very serious”, although it is not thought a campaign like that of the Provisional IRA could be mounted.

It reflects recent police warnings that the threat remains severe and that dissidents have improved their bomb-making abilities.

Dissidents have been responsible for a number of attacks in Northern Ireland this year, including bombs at Newtownhamilton police station and Palace Barracks in Holywood.

The commissioners said the Real IRA and Continuity IRA were continuing to recruit and train members, acquire weapons and target potential victims, with police officers the main focus of their activities.

Retiring president of the Superintendents’ Association of Northern Ireland, Michael Skuce, has said there needs to be sufficient funding to account for the additional threat faced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as the challenges they face are “not the norm”, (see PP206, p7).

But the report added there is no evidence to suggest a reappearance of something comparable to the Provisional IRA’s campaign of violence.

In its 23rd report issued to the British and Irish governments, the IMC said mainstream organisations continued to follow a peaceful path.

The IMC concluded that dissidents lacked significant local or international support and did not have comparable resources in terms of personnel, money, organisation and cohesion, or the range of weaponry and expertise.

“In particular, the range and nature of RIRA’s (Real IRA) activities in the six months under review were, by any yardstick, a very serious matter,” said the IMC report.

“However, it is important to point out that this is in no way a reappearance of something comparable to the PIRA (Provisional IRA) campaign.”

The publication of the report last week was announced by the Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern, who condemned the activities of such groups: “Despite the great strides made in securing political progress, there remains a small number of individuals who refuse to heed the democratically expressed wishes of their fellow Irish men and women.

“These thugs failed to stop the Good Friday Agreement, they failed to stop the devolution of policing and justice, and ultimately their tactics of violence and destruction will fail, full stop.

“I want to echo the IMC’s praise for the efforts of the Garda Síochána and PSNI in countering these criminal gangs – lives have been saved by their actions. The Government will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and the new Justice Minister in ensuring the highest level of cross-border cooperation is in place to tackle this menace.”

Minister Ahern also thanked the IMC for its work and its very important contribution to the peace process over the last several years.

Irish Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, said that the report has acknowledged the very real and serious threat from dissident republicans, intent on causing death and serious injury to the people of Northern Ireland.

“The IMC reports that the criminal justice system offers a potent response to paramilitaries, particularly now it is owned by and accountable to the people of Northern Ireland,” said Mr Paterson.

“While dissident republicans remain highly active and dangerous, the IMC confirms that their activities are in no way a reappearance of something comparable to the old PIRA campaign, not least because of community support for the political process and the devolution of policing and justice. The general election showed that there is overwhelming support for parties which want to make the political process work.

“I agree that recent significant acts of decommissioning by both loyalist a