A MAJOR security alert has arisen over an apparent attempt by the IRA to launch mortar or bomb attacks on security bases in Border areas of Northern Ireland.
Gardai report levels of IRA activity along the Border not encountered since before the August 1994 ceasefire.
There are now growing fears that the IRA is about to restart its campaign in Northern Ireland in response to the stalemate between the Irish and British governments over the timing of Sinn Fein's entry into multi-party talks.
It emerged yesterday that two attempts were made by the IRA to mount attacks from north Monaghan into Northern Ireland in the past week.
At the weekend an IRA unit stole a heavy timber transporter from forestry in the Scotstown area and was in the process of crossing the Border when it was interrupted by a passing motorist.
A group of armed men, who gardai believe were Provisional IRA members, were accompanying the transporter in other cars.
The group kidnapped the motorist and held him for some hours. Later the transporter was found burning just yards inside the Border in Co Tyrone, after the IRA unit apparently decided the mission had been compromised and abandoned it.
The vehicle is being forensically examined by the RUC and it is believed it may have been loaded with explosive which burned off in the fire.
On Monday night an attempt was made to steal another large four-by-four tractor in roughly the same area of north Monaghan.
The tractor contained an electronic immobiliser and was abandoned after the engine cut out and would not restart.
The same type of tractor was used by the IRA to fire heavy mortars at military and police bases in rural areas of the North before the ceasefire.
These incidents follow the discovery of three mortars and other bomb-making equipment in the Poleglass area of west Belfast eight days ago.
Two weeks ago the RUC discovered 1,000 lb of explosive hidden in countryside in the vicinity of a British army base near Armagh city.
Garda sources have indicated that the large amount of mortars and bomb-making equipment found near the Border in north Louth over the past month was hidden there before the August 1994 ceasefire.
There have been mounting concerns for about a month that the IRA would restart its campaign against security targets in Northern Ireland if its conditions for Sinn Fein's re-entry into the talks process were not met.
It is believed this policy has been endorsed by the membership of the IRA at meetings over the past two months.
According to Garda intelligence reports the IRA had set a deadline for the acceptance of its conditions for entry into talks, and that after this it would resume attacks in Northern Ireland.
Garda sources insist that the IRA activity is separate from the attacks mounted in the North by the splinter republican paramilitary group called the Continuity Army Council (CAC).
A major source cause of concern is that the IRA has used the last year, since deciding to call off its 18-month ceasefire, to regroup and train members in new types of bombs and mortars.