It was suggested earlier that these attacks were somehow triggered by the revelation that SRR surveillance units were being deployed to the province. This might explain why they were requested:

Dissident Republican Activity

1.        11th February 2008 – Derry - Man shot dead


2.        12th February 2008 – Doneyloop – Man shot dead

3.        12th May 2008 – Sparmount – Police Officer injured when a booby trap device placed under his car explodes.

4.        16th August, 2008 – Lisnaskea – Rocket propelled grenade which fails to explode fired at three police officers.

5.        26th August 2008 – Craigavon – Riots, shootings and bomb attacks after a bomb warning.

6.        31st January 2009 – Castlewellan – Police render safe and prevent the explosion of a 300lb Car Bomb.

7.        25th February 2009 – Newtownabbey – Pipe bomb thrown at car

8.        7th march 2009 – Massereene Base – RIRA murder 2 off duty soldiers and seriously wound four others including two civilians.

9.        9th March 2009 – Craigavon – CIRA murder one Police Officer.


In the face of this, just exactly what did anybody think the response of the PSNI should have been.

The request to increase surveillance and intelligence gathering would seem only too appropriate and maybe should have been requested after incident 5, detailed above.

Most disturbing is the incident in Castlewellan, apparently latest is that PSNI are now searching for a similar RIRA Bomb that sources say has been smuggled into Northern Ireland - I sincerely hope that they find it and render it safe before it is detonated.