London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Northern Ireland terrorism threat level rises

Northern Ireland terrorism threat level rises

The terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland has been raised from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.

The move, based on an MI5 intelligence assessment, follows a rise in dissident republican activity, including a recent gun attack on a top police officer.

It reverses a downgrade in Northern Ireland's terror threat level last March - its first change for 12 years.

It was announced by Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

MI5, the UK's Security Service, is believed to review the threat level every six months. The terrorism threat level remains substantial in the rest of the UK, meaning an attack is a strong possibility.

Threat levels are designed to give an indication of the likelihood of a terrorist attack and there are five rankings ranging from low to critical. Severe is one level below critical, meaning an attack is expected imminently.


Vigilance urged


In a written statement to MPs, Mr Heaton-Harris said: "The public should remain vigilant, but not be alarmed, and continue to report any concerns they have to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)."

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said the force would "relentlessly pursue those who seek to cause harm and terrorise our communities, and attack my officers and staff".

The chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Liam Kelly, said the escalation of the threat level was justified and that no one should be surprised.

Mr Kelly added that it might be reasonably asked why the level was downgraded to substantial in March.

"It was clear dissident republican groups were still actively wedded to causing murder and destruction," he said.


'Disappointing for all of us'


Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said dissident republicans were focused on attacking police officers, not the public.

"You should be worried for your police service," he said.

"I wouldn't encourage people to be hugely concerned about their own safety broader than that."

Mr Hamilton said the raised threat level was disappointing but he was confident the threat level could be lowered in time.

In February Det Ch Insp John Caldwell was shot several times by two gunmen as he was putting footballs into his car boot having been coaching a youth training session in Omagh.

On Tuesday, police said the 48-year-old father-of-one had been moved out of intensive care for the first time but remained in a serious condition in hospital.

Det Ch Insp John Caldwell remains seriously ill in hospital


The attack on him was admitted by the New IRA, the biggest and most active group dissident group, whose main areas of operations are in Londonderry and County Tyrone.

The group was formed in 2012 and previous security assessments estimated it had about 500 supporters, some 100 of whom are prepared to commit acts of terrorism.

On Tuesday, the PSNI's Terrorism Investigation Unit said it had recovered "a quantity of ammunition" during a planned search operation into the New IRA in Ballymagroarty in Derry.

It was put on the back foot by several successful security operations run by MI5, leading to the first reduction in the terrorist threat level in Northern Ireland in a decade.

A number of suspected members of the group were arrested after MI5 bugged two alleged meetings of the New IRA's executive in 2020.

But after a lull in activity the New IRA re-emerged in November with a bomb attack on a police patrol car.

Three months prior to February's attack on the police officer, the New IRA set off a roadside bomb in Strabane, County Tyrone, as a police car drove past, but neither of the two officers inside was injured.

Both attacks showed that after a number of years on the back foot, the organisation remains dangerous.


Who are dissident republicans?


The republican movement wants Northern Ireland to leave the UK and unite with the Republic of Ireland.

During most of the Troubles the Provisional IRA was the by far the biggest and most influential violent republican paramilitary group.

But in the 1980s and 1990s it and its political wing Sinn Féin began to make moves which eventually led to ceasefires and Sinn Féin's support for the Good Friday Agreement peace deal.

Members who opposed these moves broke away from the Provisional IRA and formed new groups, such as the Continuity IRA, Real IRA and - later - the New IRA.

They remained committed to using violence to try to bring about a united Ireland, something which has been rejected by Sinn Féin for many years.

The support for dissidents is very small: All of Northern Ireland's main political parties are opposed to their actions.

In early March, Arm na Poblachta (Army of the Republic) said police officers' families would be considered targets.

Smaller than the other dissident republican groups, it emerged in 2017 but has not been as active as the New IRA or the Continuity IRA.


'Undue alarm'


MI5, rather than the PSNI or the government, is responsible for setting the Northern Ireland terrorism threat level, which it has been publishing since 2010.

For all but one of those 13 years, the level has been at "severe" - so Tuesday's move should not cause undue alarm.

Most people in Northern Ireland will not notice any difference in terms of everyday security.

Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O'Neill reacted to Tuesday's announcement by saying there was no place or space for paramilitary groups in a modern, democratic society.

"They must go," she said.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson called on the government to fund more police officers in Northern Ireland.

"With police officers facing such a threat, now is the time for the government to provide that additional funding to ensure the PSNI has the full capacity to meet this threat," he said.

The Alliance Party's Policing Board representative John Blair said the announcement was incredibly concerning but not surprising given recent "unjustifiable events".

Ireland's Minister for Justice Simon Harris said gardaí (Irish police) would also continue to monitor the situation.

"While the threat of an attack from these groups in this jurisdiction is generally considered to be low, An Garda Siochana will continue to work closely with services in Northern Ireland," he said.

Although tensions within loyalist groups have led to attacks in parts of County Down in the past few days, the change to the threat level is not related to this flare up.

Several loyalist paramilitary groups - the largest being the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Defence Association - are active in Northern Ireland but are not considered a threat to national security and therefore are not a factor in MI5's assessment.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×