 British police believe there is a substantial risk of an attack in Britain by Irish Republican Army dissidents, a newspaper reported on Saturday.
| Gerry got snubbed on St. Paddy's Day. Time to bomb Harrods. |
The Observer said police on Friday raised the threat level from Irish paramilitaries to "substantial." That is just below the "severe general" threat police believe is posed by Al Qaeda-allied terrorists, the Sunday newspaper said in early editions. A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said the force did not discuss security matters, but said police had no specific intelligence that would prompt a warning to the public. The Observer quoted a memo allegedly sent by anti-terrorist police to London businesses this week stating "reporting indicates that dissident Irish Republican terrorists are currently planning to mount attacks on the UK mainland." IRA bombs killed dozens of people in mainland Britain between 1972 and 1997, when the outlawed group declared a cease-fire. Splinter groups such as the so-called "Real IRA" have carried out several attacks. |