The Bishop of Truro has warned that extremists could launch terrorist attacks as part of a violent campaign for a Cornish assembly, writes Frank Millar.
The Right Rev William Ind expressed his fears that a group of people "could easily start doing something regrettable" because they feel "they're not being listened to".
He made the comments in an interview yesterday on BBC Radio 4's flagship morning programme, Today.
Citing the number of quarries to be found in the county - now officially recognised as the poorest in Britain, with income per person at just 68 per cent of the European average - Bishop Ind said: "I just have this feeling that that is for some of them the level of the frustration they are beginning to feel." He continued: "If you live in this county you can't go very far without seeing quarries, even now, still in use. And these people know how to explode things, and in private they are prepared to talk like that."
A woman claiming to represent the Cornish Liberation Army told the same programme that government buildings could be targeted if demands for an assembly were not taken seriously.
"Damage will be inflicted through explosion or fire," she claimed. "Nobody's listening to us and they won't start to listen until there's a bang somewhere." While opposed to any illegal action, Mr Richard Angove, a spokesman for Cornish Solidarity, said people had seen "what's happening in Ireland and in Wales" and felt "we will have to do something quite serious to make Westminster listen".
The Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, Mr Andrew George, warned that threats of extremist activity could destroy hopes that the county might next year win Objective 1 status and up to £500m in regional aid.