Northern Ireland Police Fear Terror Attack Ahead of Biden Visit

Northern Ireland police say they are “preparing for the worst” after receiving strong intelligence of a terror attack ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed it had received credible information that dissident republicans were planning significant violence on Easter Monday, a day before Biden’s highly-anticipated visit to the province.

Officers are now being moved to frontline duties, on longer shifts, to counter any potential threats, PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said on Thursday.

The policing strategy, that has not been used “in years,” reflected the “exceptional circumstances” ahead of the Easter weekend, Byrne added.

The U.S. president will visit Belfast on Tuesday to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, the Northern Ireland peace deal that brought an end to 30 years of violence.

He is due to travel on to the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday where he is expected to attend events in Dublin, County Louth and County Mayo, the White House confirmed on Wednesday.

MI5 recently raised the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.

This followed the attempted murder of senior PSNI detective John Caldwell in County Tyrone, who remains in a critical but stable condition over a month on from the gun attack.

Police believe the New IRA was behind the attempt on Caldwell’s life.

Easter Fears

Speaking at a PSNI press conference in Belfast on Thursday afternoon, Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said: “It’s going to be a really significant weekend for the PSNI.

“There is also 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.”

“So going into our operation that’s something that is very clearly right at the forefront of my mind, the minds of the commanders that will be delivering that and of course our officers as well.”

Dissident republicans traditionally mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising rebellion against British rule on Easter Monday.

Parades are set to take place in the nationalist areas of Rosemount and Creggan, while a commemoration in the city cemetery will also be held.

Violence has flared at similar events in the past, which have included masked men dressed in military combat gear.

According to the Irish News, this year’s parade has been organised by the Derry 1916 Commemoration Committee, which has the support of anti-agreement party Saoradh.

Nine members of the dissident political group are currently facing terrorism charges after being arrested in Aug. 2020 in the joint MI5 and PSNI-led Operation Arbacia.

The Easter Monday events in Derry fall on April 10, exactly 25 years after the historic peace accord was signed.

Public Concern

Singleton said that while dissident republican intent to kill police officers remained the same, he said officers were concerned they may use public disorder in Derry as a platform to launch attacks.

“The intent remains the same. I think as I see it, it’s the risk, it’s the platform potentially, in particular, that public disorder may present,” he said.

“We don’t have to go too far back, sadly, to see precisely that kind of scenario playing out in Derry/Londonderry in the past.”

In April 2019, journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead in Derry’s Creggan estate while observing dissident republican disorder ahead of the Easter weekend.

The New IRA later admitted responsibility for her murder which it claimed happened “in the course of attacking the enemy,” according to a statement given to the Irish News at the time.

When asked whether guns or explosives could be used to target police, Singleton said police were “prepared for all even