Terrorist threat to North

NORTHERN Ireland faces a greater terrorist threat than at any time since the Omagh bomb atrocity, a leading policeman warned yesterday.

"The North is in danger of losing its grip on the ability to guarantee a reasonably peaceful life to its people," said Police Federation chief Irwin Montgomery.

With policing resources close to breaking point because of loyalist and republican violence, Secretary of State John Reid was also told of the critical need to retain the 2,000 full-time reserve force.

Mr Montgomery gave his assessment at the federation's annual conference near Belfast, attended by Dr Reid. Mr Montgomery called for a series of new initiatives to restore confidence, including:

A fundamental review of terrorists on early prison release.

A new tariff for rioting offences.

A ban on paramilitaries joining the district policing partnership boards.

Scrapping plans to devolve policing powers to the Northern Ireland Executive.

A new state-of-the-art police training college for recruits.

Almost 800 officers have been injured through civil disorder in the last 12 months, with around 900 men and women currently on sick leave.

Under these circumstances, and in the current security climate, he argued the full-time reserve due to be scrapped in the Patten blueprint for reforming the Royal Ulster Constabulary was essential.

"The terrorist threat in Northern Ireland is greater than at any stage since the Omagh outrage of four years ago," he said.

With new chief constable Hugh Orde making clear he needed the full-time reserve, Mr Montgomery rounded on the Northern Ireland Office and the policing board for not doing more.

"They have been among the most despicably treated group of police employees in western Europe," he said.

Mr Montgomery hinted delays over guaranteeing their future could be linked to a political trade-off to get Sinn Féin onto the Policing Board. Many of those orchestrating the ongoing street disorder were freed under the Good Friday Agreement, he claimed.

With those hurling missiles during clashes guilty of attempted murder, he said rioters should get similar sentences to a petrol bomber jailed for eight-and-a-half years in Bradford last week.

As Dr Reid listened, the federation boss also railed against his plans to devolve responsibility for policing from London to the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive. With Sinn Féin still refusing to back the new force and bitter division at Stormont, he indicated this could be a disaster.