Distretto Nord

Possibile un nuovo attacco contro il Policing Board

Fresh attack on police HQ ‘possible’

Dissident republicans who tried to blow up the Policing Board in Belfast are likely to target the building again, a senior officer has warned.

Policing Board, BelfastIntelligence suggests that another attack is a “strong possibility”, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris said.

While the main threat is to the building, Mr Harris told members and staff of the independent body that they were at “moderate” risk.

Last month terrorists drove a car carrying 400lb of home-made explosive through an entry barrier and abandoned it outside the towerblock in the Clarendon dock area. The device failed to detonate and no one was injured.

Security was tight at the building on Thursday as senior officers briefed members at the first meeting since the bomb plot and guards manned newly-erected steel barriers outside.

The Policing Board was set up as part of peace process reforms designed to make the police more accountable.

DUP member Ian Paisley Jnr praised the board staff for the work they continued to do in the face of the threat.

“Could I pay tribute to our staff? Our staff don’t deserve to be targeted, our staff do an excellent job for the public,” he said.

“And for them to be subject to an attempt to destroy their place of work and indeed destroy them I think is completely reprehensible and needs to receive the firmest possible condemnation.”

Sinn Fein’s Alex Maskey said it was ironic that terrorists would attack what was a symbol of police reform.

“It is very ironic indeed that the building that is precisely here to house very important accountability mechanisms was targeted,” he said.

Chief Constable Matt Baggott told the board that his officers would not let the violent renegades prevent them from providing a professional service to the public.

“We have a difficult time in dealing with the security situation. We have never said that it’s not severe but I know that I have the most incredibly professional colleagues working on that – Garrison showed that in a very clear way,” he said.

The attempted bombing happened within hours of a murder bid on a trainee police officer in the Co Fermanagh border village of Garrison. An undercover police unit thwarted that attack and two people have since been arrested and charged.

[flv:/flv_video/ww_policing20091203.flv 590 350]
Pagina precedente 1 2
Tags

René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

Related Articles

Close