Terrorist plot - We must not deny threat to this State

As Irish airports and airlines virtually resumed normal operations yesterday after the chaos caused by the suspected terrorist attack on several passenger planes, it has to be borne in mind that the spectre of a threat still exists.

Britain is still on a “critical” level of alert even though the authorities there believe the main suspects have been taken into custody.

The fact is that while those mainly responsible may be held, it is unknown how many others may be waiting to serve their fundamentalist cause. There could be another plan to blow up planes or a nuclear plant, but the point is that no one knows.

There is little consolation in the Irish Government stating that this week’s terror plot was limited to Britain and there was no threat to this country.

Neither should Transport Minister Martin Cullen’s contention that there was no increased security risk at Irish airports be taken as a form of reassurance.

Likewise, the utterances by Minister for Children Brian Lenihan that those apprehended had no connection with this country is of doubtful value in the long term. His criticism that this country could be a launch pad for terrorists travelling to Britain is to deny what could be a distinct possibility.

This country was assuredly affected by the terrorism scare which the Government maintains was limited to Britain. There were considerable consequences with flights to and from Britain cancelled and thousands of passengers left stranded.

Travellers to Britain and the US will have to adapt to the stringent security measures, especially in relation to hand luggage, for the foreseeable future.

Thankfully, what people had to contend with were the necessary inconveniences of those measures, which were put in place for their own safety.

Because this most recent terrorist threat concerned passenger flights, obviously attention was focused on that potential danger, but terrorism could take any shape. Through sharing intelligence the international community may combat this evil to some extent, but it would be folly for the Government not to be as prepared as it possible can for what may be the inevitable.

It was left to Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan this week to deliver its statement of satisfaction that the State was under no threat, and she admitted she was reflecting the security situation that had arisen on the day. The dilemma is that any danger from terrorism could arise any day and the real danger is that Ireland could be used as a base to attack our nearest neighbour.

The country’s much-vaunted neutral status would afford no protection against the likes of al-Qaida in such an event. In fact, making Shannon available to the American military in transit to and from Iraq could be used as a perverse justification for such an attack.

Despite the Government appearing to be somewhat sanguine about there being any specific threat to this country, it is not beyond the possibility that it could face one, directly or indirectly, because of its proximity to Britain. Apart from uttering doubtful assurances about the security of the State from outside attack, the Government should ensure that the country’s emergency services are in a position to respond effectively to any such threat.

It is doubtful whether, in fact, they would be in a position to do so at the moment, and the Government’s present attitude is akin to whistling past a graveyard.