POLICE CHIEF FEARS DISSIDENT THREAT COULD LEAD TO ANOTHER OMAGH SCALE ATROCITY
Police chief fears dissident threat could lead to another Omagh-scale atrocity
PSNI chief constable, Matt Baggott has voiced his fears of the possibility of another tragedy like the Omagh bomb of August 1998, in light of the heightened threat from dissident republicans.
Twenty-nine people and unborn twins were killed on August 15, 1998, when a Real IRA car bomb exploded in the centre of the town.
With the 12th anniversary of the atrocity falling this weekend, Mr Baggott's comments were a clear indication of the severity of the dissident threat level at present.
His comments come following a number of attempted car bomb attacks on security personnel in recent days, the most recent being the discovery of a device on the Sweep Road area of Cookstown yesterday (Tuesday) morning.
The road close to the Glenavon Hotel was closed yesterday whilst the security alert remained in place.
The chief constable met with officers at the Strand Road police station in Londonderry following last week's car bomb attack there.
In that incident, a car packed with 2001bs of homemade explosives went off outside the station. Whilst no one was injured in the attack on the Strand Road police station, a number of businesses were badly damaged.
Mr Baggot said that the bombers 'are the same people, or the same mindset that ultimately led to the Omagh tragedy', adding that they were becoming increasingly 'reckless'.
"They have no solution for the future, only to go back to the past. And they are bringing that recklessness increasingly to our streets," he said.
"We need the public to fully support us and don't allow these people to do what they want to do.
"They are dangerous. We need to be realistic about them and keep them firmly on the back foot."
On Saturday, a bomb was found under the car of a Catholic police officer in Kilkeel and on Wednesday, a booby-trap bomb fell from the underside of a car belonging to an army major in Bangor.
Condemning those behind the most recent device in Cookstown, Alliance chief whip, Kieran McCarthy, MLA, said: "I am disgusted at those who have left this device. These people have absolutely no regard for the lives of other people. They do not care who gets killed during their campaign.
"There is absolutely no support in the community for this violence. All sides have shown their opposition to this campaign of terror which can never be justified. These people must get the message that the whole of Northern Ireland wants this to end.
"The fact that this is the latest in a series of attacks by dissidents in the past week that have happened across the country must be of great concern to the police. These dissidents must have been carrying out a large amount of intelligence gathering to be able to target specific members of the security services in different areas.
"If anybody has any information about this incident then they must contact the police. These people must be stopped before more people are injured or killed."
PSNI chief constable, Matt Baggott has voiced his fears of the possibility of another tragedy like the Omagh bomb of August 1998, in light of the heightened threat from dissident republicans.
Twenty-nine people and unborn twins were killed on August 15, 1998, when a Real IRA car bomb exploded in the centre of the town.
With the 12th anniversary of the atrocity falling this weekend, Mr Baggott's comments were a clear indication of the severity of the dissident threat level at present.
His comments come following a number of attempted car bomb attacks on security personnel in recent days, the most recent being the discovery of a device on the Sweep Road area of Cookstown yesterday (Tuesday) morning.
The road close to the Glenavon Hotel was closed yesterday whilst the security alert remained in place.
The chief constable met with officers at the Strand Road police station in Londonderry following last week's car bomb attack there.
In that incident, a car packed with 2001bs of homemade explosives went off outside the station. Whilst no one was injured in the attack on the Strand Road police station, a number of businesses were badly damaged.
Mr Baggot said that the bombers 'are the same people, or the same mindset that ultimately led to the Omagh tragedy', adding that they were becoming increasingly 'reckless'.
"They have no solution for the future, only to go back to the past. And they are bringing that recklessness increasingly to our streets," he said.
"We need the public to fully support us and don't allow these people to do what they want to do.
"They are dangerous. We need to be realistic about them and keep them firmly on the back foot."
On Saturday, a bomb was found under the car of a Catholic police officer in Kilkeel and on Wednesday, a booby-trap bomb fell from the underside of a car belonging to an army major in Bangor.
Condemning those behind the most recent device in Cookstown, Alliance chief whip, Kieran McCarthy, MLA, said: "I am disgusted at those who have left this device. These people have absolutely no regard for the lives of other people. They do not care who gets killed during their campaign.
"There is absolutely no support in the community for this violence. All sides have shown their opposition to this campaign of terror which can never be justified. These people must get the message that the whole of Northern Ireland wants this to end.
"The fact that this is the latest in a series of attacks by dissidents in the past week that have happened across the country must be of great concern to the police. These dissidents must have been carrying out a large amount of intelligence gathering to be able to target specific members of the security services in different areas.
"If anybody has any information about this incident then they must contact the police. These people must be stopped before more people are injured or killed."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1996
Published Date: 12-Aug-10
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