Micheal Martin has said the news of potential bombs and gun attacks in Northern Ireland as President Joe Biden comes here are "both shocking and worrying."
The Foreign Affairs Minister was speaking after security stepped up their preparations ahead of President Biden’s visit next week after intelligence services in Northern Ireland upped the terrorist threat from ‘substantial” to 'severe.'
And the tension was heightened further last night when police in Derry revealed they have “real concerns” that there could be gun and bomb attacks from dissident paramilitaries on Easter Monday.
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Justice Minister Simon Harris said that the cooperation between police and intelligence services North and South have “intensified” to counter any threat.
Mr Harris said: “The Gardaí and the PSNI are in extraordinarily close cooperation and collaboration on all threats or security measures on the island of Ireland and I can assure you that a level of cooperation and collaboration only intensifies at a time of concern.
“As the PSNI outlined this evening, the British Government on the advice of MI5 decided to increase the threat level, the terrorist threat level from ‘substantial’ to ‘severe.’
“I would have spoken to the Secretary of State of Northern Ireland in advance of that decision, so while I won’t comment on security operations, there will be very intense cooperation and collaboration with Gardaí and the PSNI in Northern Ireland on all matters to keep people safe during the future period and indeed during President Biden’s visit.”
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