Terrorist swoop – Ireland is not immune from danger

YESTERDAY’S dramatic swoop on terrorist suspects in Britain heightens the urgency of increased garda vigilance against the threat of al-Qaida attacks in Ireland.

Despite Justice Minister Michael McDowell’s naive dismissal of this danger, there is no denying the risks inherent in the impending visit of US President George W Bush to this country during Ireland’s EU presidency.

Fears of a Madrid-style attack against Britain have escalated after the seizure of over half a ton of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, the same type of explosive used in the Bali bombings. If the explosives had been used, they would have killed a large number of people. Used in several IRA bombings and favoured by al-Qaida, the explosive also featured in the US Embassy attack in Nairobi five years ago.

The discovery of such a massive amount of explosive material will also rekindle fears of a possible terrorist strike against the Sellafield nuclear facility with potentially disastrous repercussions for thousands of people on Ireland’s east coast.

Despite the efforts of Sellafield management to play down the terrorist threat, the facility remains a primary target, according to security experts.

During a recent meeting in Louth, where many blame Sellafield for the incidence of cancer cases, a Fine Gael TD accused Sellafield operator British Nuclear Fuels of trying to prevent him raising concerns about a possible terrorist attack on the plant. He was offered a platform after vigorous protests.

This attitude reflects the historic tendency of the nuclear industry to muddy the waters rather than adopt a policy of transparency and openness with the public.

If they have nothing to hide, then why are EU officials ordering Britain to clean up its act and account for more than a ton of highly dangerous radioactive waste stored at Sellafield in dubious conditions? Concerns have also been raised about the storage of hundreds of kilos of waste sludge at the plant.

Trust, or rather the lack of it, goes to the heart of this controversy. How can people trust a company with an appalling safety record and an image of misleading rather than informing the public?

How can people trust a company which has been brazenly polluting the Irish Sea for decades?

The people of Ireland have every reason to be concerned about a company which is sitting on a stockpile of radioactive waste on the far side of the Irish Sea. Years of persistent complaints by environmentalists and the Irish government have failed to change the mind-set at Sellafield.

Is it any wonder that EU authorities are worried about the condition of a pond used for storing radioactive waste at the controversial facility? After 10 years of talking to Britain, the EU has clearly failed to get to the bottom of the Sellafield situation.

But after years of stalling by Britain, it is encouraging to see the EU finally adopt a no-nonsense approach towards the company. It is time the EU got tough and ordered them to clean up the site. Failing that, Britain should be taken to the European Court of Justice.

Meanwhile, the danger of terrorist attacks on Sellafield and other sensitive targets has been underlined by the arrest of the eight men suspected of commissioning, preparing or instigating acts of terrorism in Britain.

In Ireland, there can be no doubt the threat of terrorism is heightened by the Bush visit, underscoring the need for the gardaí and the public to remain watchful and alert.