Terror attack alert in Northern Ireland

The terror threat level in Northern Ireland was raised from “significant” to “severe”, indicating that an attack is highly likely.

UK Minister for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris, in a written statement to parliament, stated that the decision to raise the terror threat level in Northern Ireland to “serious” was taken by MI5, the national intelligence service. regardless of the ministers. Minister Heaton-Harris made the following statements in his statement:

“MI5 has upgraded the Northern Ireland-related terrorism threat to Northern Ireland from ‘significant’ (probable attack) to ‘serious’ (highly probable attack). The public should remain vigilant but not panic and continue to raise concerns with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

The decision to raise the terror threat level in Northern Ireland came after a shooting attack on a police officer last month. The New IRA (Irish Republican Army) claimed responsibility for the attack.

In Northern Ireland last year, the terrorist threat level was reduced from “serious” (highly probable attack) to “significant” (probable attack) 12 years later.

IRELAND SPLIT IN TWO

Great Britain had been the target of terrorist acts by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which was fighting for Irish independence. In the 1920s, the island of Ireland was divided in two, while Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom. , while the South gradually gained its independence under the name of the Republic of Ireland.

From the late 1960s until the entry into force of the Belfast Agreement in 1999, the United Kingdom was the scene of attacks by the Irish separatist terrorist organization.

As the IRA gradually laid down its arms following the peace agreement, new groups within the organization that wanted to perpetuate the violence continued their actions under IRA-related names.

In January 2019, a worker named Ian Ogle was killed by the Ulster Defense Association (UDA), which advocates loyalty to England, and journalist Lyra McKee was killed by the New IRA in April. Also in the same year, a bombing was carried out outside the courthouse in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with the New IRA taking responsibility for the incident.

In the region, union protesters, who opposed the regulation that limited trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, according to the Brexit agreement reached with the European Union (EU) on March 29, 2021, came out to streets. again and violence occurred. (AA)