North on high alert as justice powers devolved

THE North was on a fresh terror alert last night as justice powers were finally devolved to the Belfast Assembly with the Alliance Party leader voted in as justice minister.

David Ford’s immediate priority will be dealing with the increased threat from dissident republicans, who marked the transfer of justice powers by detonating a car bomb at Palace Barracks, Holywood, Co Down, where MI5 is based.

Police and justice powers were handed back to the North after a 38-year imposition of control from London, but the Assembly will have no influence over the activities of security services like MI5.

Mr Ford said the bombing was a stark reminder why the democratic parties had to stand together, but devolution was important for completion of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Real IRA claimed responsibility for the Co Down bombing in which a hijacked taxi was used to get close to the army base.

One elderly man was injured in the attack, at 12.24am yesterday.

A north Belfast taxi driver was held hostage for two hours before he was forced to drive the bomb to the base in his car.

“The taxi driver got out [of the car] and shouted ‘It’s a bomb, it’s a bomb!’ and we were evacuating the area when it exploded,” a PSNI spokesperson said.

The new justice minister will oversee a budget of €1.6 billion and his appointment brings the non-sectarian Alliance into the five-party Executive for the first time.

A tense stand-off over the return of police powers to the North threatened to collapse the Assembly in February when only the personal intervention of the Taoiseach and British premier Gordon Brown forced Sinn Féin and the DUP to cut a deal.

The UUP complained it had been shut out of negotiations and was the only party to vote against the devolution measures in the Assembly.

London keeps control of “reserved” security matters and “legacy” issues relating to the Troubles. However, Mr Ford will be responsible for prisons, the courts, the forensic science service, compensation systems and youth justice.

Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward keeps authority over emotive issues such as probes into alleged collusion between state forces and paramilitaries, and disputed murder inquiries.

Foreign Minister Micheál Martin welcomed the long- awaited move.

“Authority and responsibility for policing and justice issues is where they ought to be: at local level, accountable to, and operating for the benefit of all the people of Northern Ireland,” he said.

“Those behind the bomb in Holywood, Co Down, should take note that the political process continues to move ahead. We stand firm, for peace and democracy,” he said.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the Good Friday agreement was under threat, but moving forward.

“This is yet another important step forward in the ongoing process of change. The peace process is being challenged but the peace process is working,” Mr Adams said.