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With the threat level to Britain from Irish-related terrorism now reaching an all time-high, currently classified as ‘severe’ - Home Secretary Theresa May has emphasised her concern for the strong possibility of a ‘direct attack’ against mainland UK. This marks the first time any threat level has ever been published. Despite this growing concern, the government is unwilling to reveal whether or not they have entered into talks with dissident republicans, hoping to settle this growing anger and violence that has increased dramatically within the past year.
The issue has raised particular concern within the Tory party, with Cameron pledging to fight the increasing dissident republican threat, through ‘every means at our disposal. This was further backed up by the Secretary of State, Owen Patterson, who assured the Commons that Northern Ireland would not be ‘dragged back to a bloody past’ - insisting "Co-operation between this government, the local justice minister, the PSNI and our partners in the Republic of Ireland is unprecedented”. However, whilst Cameron’s views on the issue remain hopeful, others recall the failed efforts of numerous others - most notably Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher and John Majors’ failed attempts to reconcile the communities within Northern Ireland; prompting MPs to urge both individuals to not underestimate republican actions.
Dissident republicans have carried out numerous attacks in Northern Ireland this year, responsible for over thirty attacks or attempted attacks on national security targets since the start of the year, compared with about twenty for the whole of last year. The most notable remain the two explosions in Derry City, devastating both the major Ulster Bank Branch on the 4th of October, and the main city police station on the 2nd of August. Each bomb weighed approximately 200lbs, with the IRA claiming responsibility for both attacks. This prompted both the first and deputy first ministers to openly express their disgust, declaring the actions the height of cowardice and an ‘embarrassment’ to the people of both the city and Northern Ireland. Undoubtedly such actions are serving no benefit to the ongoing peace process, with deputy minister Martin McGuiness, emphasising his anger at their attempts to undermine Sinn Fein’s peaceful strategy, Stormont’s growing success and the improved political relations within the institutions. Despite this reaction, two more bombs of serious threat have been uncovered within Northern Ireland in the past week, including Belfast International Airport, placing the community once again at risk and causing a wave of disruption. This caused Chief Inspector Jason Murphy to reinforce Cameron’s word that ‘NI will not be deterred’ from bringing such terrorists to hand.
But the question remains, how is the government combating the growing dissident threat? Whilst NI Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, has refused to confirm or deny whether there has been contact between the government and dissident republican. This directly contrasts with Deputy minister, Martin McGuiness’ statement that the British government has talked to dissident republicans in recent weeks, and that the Irish government has met with such dissidents for years, insisting that they ‘may well deny it’. Paterson has insisted no talks have taken place, insisting ‘meaningful talks’ could not take place with such groups determined to dismantle NI’s political unity - taking advantage of the opportunity to further emphasise his disgust at the unprecedented bomb which resulted in the injury of 3 school children and significant constructional damage. This prompted DUP Derry MP Gregory Campbell to announce that his party would be meeting with Mr Paterson to seek clarification of his comments, stressing his desire to know exactly what was happening regarding talks whilst demanding clarity on the situation, insisting ‘there are yes and no answers to these questions’. The situation was thrown further into disarray after Ex-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, denied the allegations, adding that those involved in violence had no political agenda, no focus and were denying the will of the Irish people. However, he did acknowledge that dissident republican recruitment was occurring on both sides of the border.
Undoubtedly the Republican threat is consistently growing, despite the increasing success’s regarding the Northern Ireland Peace Process. Northern Ireland’s main concern is to ensure that those wishing to destroy both NI’s politics and peace fail to succeed in their plans, with both First Minister Peter Robinson and SDLP Leader Margaret Ritchie emphasising the true nature of the threat and the need for swift and cooperative action within Stormont. Undeniably the republican threat has always existed and it can be questioned whether it will ever completely cease, given one of the major lessons of Irish history which insists that when one group of militant republicans lays down its weapons, another faction emerges - even more hard-line than the last one. As republicans like to put it, "there will always be an IRA" - with the biggest difficulty remaining as to whether or not the improved political unity of the NI executive will prove formidable enough to combat such a proclamation.
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