SECURITY:BORDER SECURITY has been increased following the attacks by dissident republicans of the past week in Antrim and Armagh which claimed the lives of two British soldiers and a PSNI officer.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and senior Garda officers are meeting PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde in Belfast today to discuss developments in the North since the weekend. The talks, which were scheduled to take place before the killings, will cover continued sharing of intelligence and co-ordination of anti-terrorist operations on both sides of the Border.
Gardaí have responded to the greater threat level by increasing policing along the Border and intensifying intelligence-gathering operations against known and suspect dissidents in the area.
Surveillance is also being increased in Dublin and elsewhere on suspected members of the Real IRA and Continuity IRA.
Border security was stepped up in the early hours of Tuesday after the fatal shooting of PSNI constable Stephen Carroll.
Assistant Commissioner Mick Feehan instructed all chief superintendents in the northern region to mount operations in their areas of responsibility. Mr Feehan, based in Sligo, is responsible for policing in the Garda’s northern division.
Since changes last year to Garda division boundaries, Mr Feehan is responsible for policing right along the Border.
Checkpoints with unarmed uniformed officers have been put in place on Border roads and motorists are being stopped and questioned as to their movements. The checkpoints are being supported by local armed detectives.
The armed personnel have stepped up Border patrols in an effort to deter any groups who may seek to transport vehicles, weapons or explosives into the North for the purposes of a terrorist attack.
Members of a number of specialist Garda units will support the increased operations along the Border. These include the Special Detective Unit, National Surveillance Unit and Emergency Response Unit.
Garda sources said while known CIRA and RIRA members have long been subjected to surveillance in the Republic, this is now being intensified. The sources said that while it was difficult to estimate the number of active dissidents living in the Republic, the number was very small.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said the groups had an “absolutely tiny” presence in the Republic.
The Defence Forces’ elite Army Ranger Wing is on standby to assist gardaí along the Border if needed. Military and Garda sources said while it was vital that vigilance was maintained at this time, it was equally important not to overreact and create an oppressive security regime.