Threat levels in Northern Ireland remain ‘severe’ The First and Deputy First Ministers are to discuss republican dissident activity with the Chancellor of the Exchequer next week.
Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness want to ensure that enough money is being made available for the fight against the dissidents.
Home Secretary Theresa May said on Friday that a dissident attack in the UK was now a “strong possibility”.
Richard English of QUB said the threat needed to be seen in context.
“Although it’s a much much lower threat than used to be from the Provisional IRA say, in the 70s, 80s and early 90s, it’s clear that there is an episodic and occasionally lethal threat from those who are still unreconciled to the current arrangement,” Professor English said.
“Over the last five years they have killed nine people, which is an awful thing but nothing like enough to derail the current option of political progress through peace rather than violence.”
The threat level to Britain from Irish-related terrorism has been raised from moderate to substantial.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the threat level to Britain from Irish-related terrorism has been raised from moderate to substantial.
She said this meant an attack was a “strong possibility”.
It was the first time this threat level had been published, the Home Office confirmed.
The head of security service MI5 warned last week that dissident republicans opposed to British rule in Northern Ireland could strike mainland Britain.