Northern Ireland is a 'priority issue' for US says expert

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A loyalist terrorist group in Northern Ireland allegedly planned an attack on the Republic of Ireland before abandoning the plot. The allegation comes after Downing Street announced elections would take place following the passing the deadline to restore power sharing last Friday.

The planned terror attack on the Republic, first reported by the Belfast Telegraph, comes as Stormont continues to be paralysed by lack of movement over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Stormont has been paralysed since the last assembly elections, in which Sinn Fein became the largest party for the first time ever in Northern Irish elections.

But the Democratic Unionist Party has refused to enter a power-sharing agreement due to the Northern Ireland Protocol, a key Brexit agreement, which it has accused of damaging trade within the UK.

As the deadline passed on Friday, October 28, the Northern Ireland secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, announced there would be fresh elections.

First reported by the Belfast Telegraph, the paper said a planned attack, on a “government target in the Irish Republic”, was “just hours away from being put into action” when it was cancelled.

Crime correspondent for the Belfast Telegraph Allison Morris told the Irish Examiner the information she was given suggested the target was “a Government-linked property” in the Republic.

She also said it was indicated to her that a bomb might be used.

Ms Morris also said the loyalist groups “do have bomb-making capability”.

The groups that are said to have met, somewhere in Co Antrim, comprised the Ulster Volunteer Force, structured elements of the Ulster Defence Association and the Red Hand Commando.

Plans for the terror attack were said to have been driven by the possibility that Dublin could be given a role in governing the province in a joint authority arrangement with the British government.

Sinn Fein has said moving forward with further involvement from Dublin was the “only alternative” if the DUP continued to block progress.

The UVF and the UDA have both admitted they are considering ending their ceasefires amid tensions over the protocol.

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The UVF killed more than 500 people during The Troubles.

There is no suggestion that either group was involved in the alleged plot.

A senior UDA member told the Sunday Life newspaper: “I don’t think people understand how close we are to the cliff edge.”

The umbrella organisation that represents loyalist groups, the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), also said there would be “dire consequences” if the deadlock in Stormont was not resolved.

A police statement said: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland is aware of an article which has been published [on] Monday, 31 October, concerning uncorroborated reports regarding Irish Government Ministers.

“Working with our partners we will continue to pro-actively monitor community tensions as well as the intent and capability of paramilitary organisations.”

This week Micheál Martin, the Irish prime minister, called for reform of the North’s political structure to take place over the next five years.

He told the Financial Times: “There is room for the parties to look at changing the system.

“The system does polarise and it is not fit for purpose …  The electoral system should not be one that constantly reinforces polarisation.”

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