‘Severe’ security threat in Derry – says PSNI commander
The PSNI Commander in Foyle has described the security threat in the city as ‘severe’.
Speaking on Friday, Commander Chris Yates said the threat in the district was serious and had been for a long time. He went on to say that an attack here was “highly likely.”
Referring to the most recent statistics, the city’s chief police officer added: “In 2008/09 there were 28 terrorists offences within G District. Last year there was 106. We are on an upward slope.”
“Last year we had about 15 pipe bombs in the district, most of them would have been across Foyle. This year, to date, we are up to 16.
“We are on a par this year with what we saw last year, and last year was a particularly bad year.”
Commander Yates also said he was concerned people were not taking the threat of pipe bombs seriously enough.
“A pipe bomb is the equivalent of a hand grenade. These things are being left in residential streets. We are very lucky that nobody has been killed or seriously injured,” he said.
“These things are very, very dangerous.”
He also called for people in the city to give any information they have about illegal organisations to the police.
“We do know who they are, but there is a world of difference between knowing who they are and having the evidence you need to put them before the court,” he said.
“There is a mountain of forensic evidence at the lab and we do anticipate there will be further arrests.”
