Gardaí say dissidents no threat to Britain

GARDAÍ have said the threat of a terrorist attack by dissident republicans was a reality in the North, but not in Britain.

Security chiefs were responding to warnings from the head of the British domestic intelligence agency that renegade republican groups might extend their terror campaign to Britain.

MI5 boss Jonathan Evans, who rarely speaks in public, said yesterday: “While at present the dissidents’ campaign is focused on Northern Ireland, we cannot exclude the possibility that they might seek to extend their attacks to Great Britain as violent Republican groups have traditionally done.” He said there were “increasing signs of co-ordination and co-operation” between dissident groups, resulting in 30 attacks or attempted attacks in the North this year.