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Police chief warns of peace process threat

THE head of the Republic's police force warned yesterday that security must be maintained against the threat from dissident republicans intent on destroying the peace process.
Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne was speaking as he hosted London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Condon on a visit aimed at cementing existing cooperation between the two forces.
Both men refused to discuss intelligence information gathered about the activities of groups like the Continuity IRA - the sole republican paramilitary group not on ceasefire.
But Mr Byrne added: "We must at all times maintain our guard when one considers recent developments and recent speculation in relation to these dissidents' activities."
It has been reported that CIRA - which has carried out a number of bombings in border areas over the past three years - is set to relaunch its campaign and export it to Britain.
It is also suspected of involvement in an armed robbery on a security van on the southern outskirts of Dublin last week in which a civilian was shot and wounded.
The gang, armed with AK 47 assault rifles - a weapon long associated with the IRA - was hampered in its attempts to remove the IR£1 million inside the van, but got away with IR£80,000.
Security forces also believe CIRA is now aided by former members of the Real IRA, which was pressurised into declaring a ceasefire after the Omagh bombing that killed 29 people and injured 200 more.
Sir Paul paid tribute to the work of the Garda and the RUC in stemming the terrorist threat.
"But for the co-operation and help of the Garda and the RUC many more lives would have been lost on the mainland," he told a news conference at Garda HQ in Dublin.
Sir Paul and his team met Garda officers involved in the war against drugs, fraud another crimes with an international dimension.
He also met those working in the Criminal Assets Bureau, set up to confiscate the proceeds of crime - a measure currently being considered in Britain.
He said: "There is cooperation and that cooperation is necessary because there is a nexus between what can happen on the mainland and what can happen here.
"It is important for all our officers that they see our two commissioners absolutely committed to lawful and relevant co-operation. It's worth setting the lead at the top as a strong message to our colleagues at all levels to co-operate."