International

Joe Biden Advances Plans To Visit Northern Ireland Despite Terrorism Threat

Published

2 years ago

Mar 29, 2023.

Haneefah

MI5 has increased the terrorism threat level to “severe”

Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern are among those expected to visit NI

An attack on the president is a strong possibility

Eko Hot Blog reports that US President Joe Biden has said he still plans to visit Northern Ireland despite MI5’s decision to increase the terrorism threat level to “severe”.

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The move follows a rise in dissident republican activity, including a recent gun attack on a top police officer.

Mr Biden was asked by reporters on Tuesday if it would affect his upcoming visit to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

“No. They can’t keep me out,” he said.

President Biden has been a vocal supporter of the peace deal signed on 10 April 1998, which was designed to bring an end to three decades of conflict in Northern Ireland.

Following a meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in March, Mr Biden said he intended to visit both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as part of the anniversary celebrations.

Full details of Mr Biden’s visit are yet to be confirmed, but the White House has said the increased threat level “does not have any potential implications for future travel”.

Former US President Bill Clinton, ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Taoiseach (Irish PM) Bertie Ahern are among those expected to visit Northern Ireland for commemorative events.

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.

The move reverses a downgrade in Northern Ireland’s terror threat level last March – its first change for 12 years.

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.

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).”

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.”

In February Det Ch Insp John Caldwell was shot several times by two gunmenas 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.

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.

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.