Law enforcement officials from Northern Ireland have discovered what could possibly be evidence of a dissident plan for violence in the run-up to a visit by President Joe Biden, as explained in local reports.
World Leaders, including Biden, are expected to come together within Northern Ireland this past week in order to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, a document that effectively put a stop to a close to a 30-year period of near-constant sectarian violence that has since been dubbed “the Troubles.”
However, one dissident group known as the New IRA is reportedly suspected of trying to put together a plan for a terrorist attack that will try to disrupt the talks.
A report from the Belfast Telegraph explained that the Police Service of Northern Ireland carried out searches for the city of Derry and cited a source who claimed that a British Army Bomb squad had been called to the scene to look for parts that could be utilized to build explosive devices.
“The belief is that the New IRA was planning some sort of attack to coincide with Biden’s visit, similar to the mortar attack on the cops in Strabane last November,” explained the source.
Members of the New IRA claimed responsibility for the use of a bomb near a police patrol vehicle in Strabane, a town in Northern Ireland, back in November. A pair of police officers were involved but unharmed in the attack.
It was confirmed recently by the White House that the president would be making a trip out to Ireland and the United Kingdom from April 11th-14th. Reportedly, his first stop is going to take place in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from Tuesday through Wednesday. Biden is expected to give a speech on Wednesday.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Biden plans to “mark the tremendous progress since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 25 years ago and to underscore the readiness of the United States to support Northern Ireland’s vast economic potential to the benefit of all communities.”
Biden is then expected to step up alongside British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for the events. A number of other well-known political figureheads from across the globe, such as former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton, are slated to also pay a visit to the event over the next few weeks, as reported by The Telegraph.
As the United Kingdom’s security agency, MI5 moved up the terror threat level for Northern Ireland to “severe.”
Area authorities are mostly concerned about a potential attack on police in Londonderry on Easter Sunday.
“There is very strong community intelligence specifically coming forward in respect of Monday’s events in Derry/Londonderry and a real concern that there may be attempts to draw police in to serious public disorder and to use that then as a platform to launch terrorist attacks on police as well,” explained Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton during a press conference.
