Crackdown against dissident violence

12 April 2012

Police in Northern Ireland have launched a major operation aimed at preventing dissident republicans going on the offensive.

It is understood the PSNI has received intelligence that dissidents want to mark with violence the arrival from England of new Chief Constable Matt Baggott on Tuesday next week.

The PSNI said it would be putting in place "high visibility operations over the coming days following a increase in dissident republican activity".

A statement said: "The operation will take effect across the province utilising vehicle checkpoints and high visibility patrols."

It said it was intent on countering what they believed was an increased dissident republican threat.

The force apologised to the public in advance for the disruption of what "we believe is a necessary step to prevent those with murderous intent going about their businesses."

As the announcement was made there were fresh disturbances in Lurgan, Co Armagh as dissident republicans whipped up trouble for a second night.

Police warned motorists and pedestrians to keep out of the Lake Street area and Northern Ireland Railways stopped Belfast to Dublin trains because of what it called "civil disturbances".

The trouble in the town followed violence which started on Thursday night after the jailing of three local dissident republicans for plotting to kill police officers. During the first night of trouble more than five vehicles were hijacked and set on fire and police said they received numerous reports of armed men on the streets in what they said was clearly pre-planned and orchestrated violence.

Dolores Kelly, an SDLP member at the Northern Ireland Assembly and a representative of the area, said the violence was utterly futile and could achieve nothing except destruction and injury or worse. She said: "My main concern is for the young people who are getting caught up in rioting. I would ask them - and more particularly their parents - to reflect on what is happening here."

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