BAGGOTT: POLICING ALONE CANNOT TACKLE DISSIDENTS
Baggott: policing alone cannot tackle dissidents
By Staff Reporter
PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott has said dissident republican activity cannot be dealt with by policing alone.
He said he did not think it a betrayal if politicians engaged in political dialogue with such groups.
However, he said there needed to be conditions attached to talks.
"You have 99 per cent - if not more -of the population condemning them. So the conversation and dialogue should be: 'Why do you think as less than one per cent you have a right and a mandate to do this?'" he said. Speaking on RTE, Mr Baggott described dissidents as a "ruthless group" who were prepared to target young mothers because they wore the PSNI uniform.
He said they would not succeed in their violent ways.
Mr Baggott was speaking after three children had been injured in Lurgan when a device intended for police exploded in a wheelie bin. Earlier this month he said dissident republicans could cause another atrocity on the scale of the Omagh bombing.
He made the comments as he visited the scene of the car-bomb attack on Derry police station, which narrowly missed killing at least five people.
By Staff Reporter
PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott has said dissident republican activity cannot be dealt with by policing alone.
He said he did not think it a betrayal if politicians engaged in political dialogue with such groups.
However, he said there needed to be conditions attached to talks.
"You have 99 per cent - if not more -of the population condemning them. So the conversation and dialogue should be: 'Why do you think as less than one per cent you have a right and a mandate to do this?'" he said. Speaking on RTE, Mr Baggott described dissidents as a "ruthless group" who were prepared to target young mothers because they wore the PSNI uniform.
He said they would not succeed in their violent ways.
Mr Baggott was speaking after three children had been injured in Lurgan when a device intended for police exploded in a wheelie bin. Earlier this month he said dissident republicans could cause another atrocity on the scale of the Omagh bombing.
He made the comments as he visited the scene of the car-bomb attack on Derry police station, which narrowly missed killing at least five people.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/1037
Published Date: 16-Aug-10
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