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A Northern Irish republican militant group threatened on Tuesday to continue killing police officers and told Queen Elizabeth II that she was not welcome on Irish soil, ahead of her historic visit next month. Police in the province stepped up security operations over the weekend to foil plans by militant groups to murder officers in the coming days and weeks. Despite a 1998 peace deal mostly ending Northern Ireland's three decades of conflict, sporadic violence is on the rise and militants this month killed a police officer for the first time in two years, detonating a bomb under his car. The Real IRA, who killed two British soldiers in 2009 in the deadliest act of violence in Northern Ireland for over a decade, said on Tuesday they would target police officers "regardless of their religion, cultural background or motivation." Recent attacks have been targeting new Catholic police recruits who – under a targeted recruitment drive – now make up 30 percent of the force in a province where police were once predominantly Protestant. The statement, read by a masked man in paramilitary uniform and filmed by a BBC camera crew, called on nationalists to demonstrate against Queen Elizabeth's visit, the first by a British monarch since before Ireland gained its independence from Britain in 1921. The 84-year-old monarch will visit some of the most symbolic memorials of Ireland's struggle for independence, underlining how relations have blossomed between the two countries, particularly since Northern Ireland's violent period known as "The Troubles" came to an end. The 1998 peace accord largely halted fighting between mostly Catholic republican groups trying to unite Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland and predominantly Protestant unionists who want it to remain part of the UK. "The Queen of England is wanted for war crimes in Ireland and is not wanted on Irish soil. We will do our best to ensure she and her cheerleaders get that message," the masked man told a rally at a cemetery in the city of Londonderry to mark the Easter 1916 uprising against British rule. The Easter holiday period, a traditional high point in the republican calendar, upcoming elections in the province and the Queen's visit have all combined to spark fears of an escalation of militant activity. A joint operation by police from both sides of the Irish border Friday led to the arrest of three men. They appeared in court on weapons charges as what were described as two significant finds of bomb-making equipment were found. Meanwhile, British police said on Tuesday they have no specific intelligence about a security threat to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding but vowed "robust" action against planned Muslim protests. Scotland Yard said more than 5,000 police would be on duty for Friday's ceremony at Westminster Abbey, while military personnel would also line the route. "In London, we operate on a daily basis against a backdrop of a severe threat from international terrorism, and of course we have planned to this threat level for this event" Commander Christine Jones, one of the officers leading the massive security operation, told a news conference. Agencies |
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