Irish Examiner view: A throwback to Belfast's bad old days

Security incident involving hijacked van raises fears of a return to paramilitary activity by some loyalist factions

UVF mural in East Belfast in 2005. Picture: Paul Faith/PA.

Mere days after Britain’s MI5 lowered the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland from severe to substantial after 12 years on high alert, we were yesterday reminded that would-be terrorists continue to pose a significant threat.

A van, hijacked at gunpoint and carrying a suspect device, originated in the Shankhill Road area of the city before it was driven to the Houben Centre where Mr Coveney was addressing a meeting of the Pat and John Hume Foundation. Mr Hume, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, died in 2020 and Mrs Hume died in autumn of last year.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan condemned the disgraceful actions which caused more than 25 homes to be evacuated, disrupted local schools and also a funeral.

Detectives believe loyalists paramilitaries were responsible, and the UVF is their primary line of inquiry. Mr Coveney is strongly identified with the Northern Ireland protocol, making him an unpopular figure in certain loyalist factions, and it must be said, in some parts of Britain, who view border problems related to Brexit as a consequence of Irish and American-Irish intransigence and reluctance to acknowledge the realities of departure from the EU. 

Temperatures have risen in the past two months and are likely to continue to do so. No resolution appears to be in sight.