Northern Ireland's Security Situation
Thursday August 28, 2008
If you have been following the news closely, you might have heard worrying dispatches from Northern Ireland. After the (thankfully) quiet marching season we had news of bombs and even a rocket attack on PSNI officers. Combined with the tenth anniversary of the Omagh atrocity, in which 29 people and unborn twins were murdered, this made for uneasy reading.
Time to review my assessment that Northern Ireland should be regarded as a safe place to travel? Well, here’s the facts ...
The important point in the discussion is to calmly evaluate the risk of becoming involved in any terrorist incident. And this risk is extremely low. In fact you are more likely to get affected by "ordinary" criminal activity. There have over last months more improvised explosive devices been exploded or found in the Republic of Ireland than in Northern Ireland. Most of those were planted in the context of organized crime or the ever-popular "family feud". In addition the PSNI has released the analysis that the supply routes of Northern Ireland's "paramilitaries" (a euphemism for "terrorists") are non-existent and that very old or home-made materials are being used. A far cry from times when modern armaments were shipped into Ireland.
But who are the people behind the recent "politically motivated" attacks? Mainly so-called "dissident" Republicans, meaning those not adhering to the line taken by the Provisional IRA or Sinn Fein. Still waging a "war" against an ever more ill defined "British occupation", the main groups are the self-styled Continuity IRA and Real IRA. Despite their use of the word "army", they are nothing but a network of small terrorist cells and supporters - similar networks may exist in almost any country, albeit with different agendas and tactics.
And there lies the crunch:
Traveling in Northern Ireland should be regarded as no more (and no less) dangerous than traveling anywhere else in the world. And with minimal common sense it is even perfectly safe to take a walk in the notorious flashpoint areas of West Belfast.
Time to review my assessment that Northern Ireland should be regarded as a safe place to travel? Well, here’s the facts ...
The important point in the discussion is to calmly evaluate the risk of becoming involved in any terrorist incident. And this risk is extremely low. In fact you are more likely to get affected by "ordinary" criminal activity. There have over last months more improvised explosive devices been exploded or found in the Republic of Ireland than in Northern Ireland. Most of those were planted in the context of organized crime or the ever-popular "family feud". In addition the PSNI has released the analysis that the supply routes of Northern Ireland's "paramilitaries" (a euphemism for "terrorists") are non-existent and that very old or home-made materials are being used. A far cry from times when modern armaments were shipped into Ireland.
But who are the people behind the recent "politically motivated" attacks? Mainly so-called "dissident" Republicans, meaning those not adhering to the line taken by the Provisional IRA or Sinn Fein. Still waging a "war" against an ever more ill defined "British occupation", the main groups are the self-styled Continuity IRA and Real IRA. Despite their use of the word "army", they are nothing but a network of small terrorist cells and supporters - similar networks may exist in almost any country, albeit with different agendas and tactics.
And there lies the crunch:
Traveling in Northern Ireland should be regarded as no more (and no less) dangerous than traveling anywhere else in the world. And with minimal common sense it is even perfectly safe to take a walk in the notorious flashpoint areas of West Belfast.
Comments
We traveled to Northern Ireland in October ‘07 and it was great! The people were wonderful, and Belfast was a beautiful town to visit. I’d have no problem visiting there again.