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Dissidents target prison warders
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
The Continuity IRA has extended its murder agenda to prison officers, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.
The terror group, which claimed responsibility for murdering Constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon a fortnight ago, has now threatened warders at Maghaberry Prison.
The news comes as a 17-year-old boy was appearing in court today charged with the murder of Constable Carroll.
The teenager was due to go before Lisburn Magistrates Court also charged with membership of a proscribed organisation, the Continuity IRA, possession of a firearm with intent and collecting information likely to be of use to terrorists.
Constable Carroll (48) from Banbridge, Co Down was shot dead while answering a call from a woman who had a brick thrown through her window.
Four other people remain in custody being questioned about the murder, as do four arrested over the murder of two soldiers in Antrim 48 hours before the policeman died. Last night two men, aged 27 and 31, who had been questioned for a week about the murder, were released without charge.
A number of officers serving at the top security jail have been warned that some of their personal details are now known to the CIRA and they have been advised to take greater security precautions about their movements.
Three weeks ago the prison was put on alert after the same dissident terror group warned that a bomb had been attached to a named prison warder’s car. The car park used by officers at the jail was sealed off and searched, but no device was found.
The latest warning phoned to the Samaritans organisation gave details of vehicles driven by four prison officers and said that they were being targeted.
The threat to the warders is being taken extremely seriously and all have been advised to step up their personal security.
In a statement, the Prison Service said that it was aware of a phone call to an outside organisation threatening a number of members of prison staff.
The statement said: “While the Prison Service cannot comment on the detail of the call, staff have been advised of the importance or remaining alert with regard to their personal security.”
It is suspected that the Continuity IRA threat arises out of searches of cells occupied by dissident republicans in the jail in recent months when mobile phones, drugs and other banned materials were seized.
While the Prison Service is refusing to discuss details of the threat, prison officers claim that photographs of warders driving into the jail to begin duty have been taken outside the perimeter fence at Maghaberry.
It is claimed that the officers have been identified from the vehicle details provided by the dissidents.
“In the current circumstances it would be foolish not to take any threat from the Continuity IRA seriously,” said one source at the jail.
“This was not conveyed to the PSNI or the Prison Service directly, but with the CIRA claiming responsibility for the murder of Constable Carroll all reports have to be treated very seriously.
“Certain details were provided during the call and the security staff at the jail has established that these details relate to serving prison officers, so it is being taken as a genuine threat.”
Meanwhile the High Court in Belfast is expected to rule today whether six people being questioned about the murders of Con Carroll and the two soldiers can challenge their lengthy detention by police.
They are among eight people still being held over the dissident republican murders of Con Carroll and Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, from Birmingham and Patrick Azimkar, 21, from London who were murdered outside Massereene Barracks in Antrim.
The Real IRA claimed responsibility for murdering the soldiers who were attacked as they collected a pizza from a delivery driver at the gates of the barracks. The Continuity IRA said they were responsible for the murder of the policeman.
The court is due to rule later whether the judicial review can go ahead and test the legality of their detention.
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time to reinstate the Specials, methinks.
Posted by tommy hall | 24.03.09, 20:42 GMT
Richard when you say "They do not require the humane treatment that ordinary people in this world have a right to and when caught action is taken accordingly. " I think you are incorrect.
You live in a democracy and you need to treat people accordingly. To behave in any other way would play into the hands or people that don't believe in your democracy as it will alienate a larger section of the community against your current democratic institutions.
The last thing you need are martyrs or innocent victims of state heavy handedness. Also to continue your political normalisation it means that unfortunately the PSNI will have to continue to risk their lives on a daily basis. If they let these people "police" their own areas it will also play into their hands as the community will turn to them with their problems.
No action is better than a mis-thought reaction...
Posted by Bren | 24.03.09, 17:29 GMT
I have just been on a stag party to Belfast with a few friends from Burnley,lancs,we all had a fantastic time,and I want to say thanks to everyone who made us feel welcome,Belfast is a great place now and it's hard to see,after being there how the will of a few dinasours could change the will of the people,these guys need dealing with as common criminals with long prison sentences,the change is to far gone now to go back,most people want a normal life,it shows how desperate these people are by using a brainwashed boy of 17 to do their work,don't let them win.
Posted by Michael | 24.03.09, 16:54 GMT
Prison Officers now!
Apparently thier are a small number of people that support these RIRA loons, wonder if they prefer to have no prisonsat all, and have a community watch thing in there street or estate and house the muderers, sex offenders , etc in thier street where they and keep an eye on them? Last time I heard that what Prison officers do!
So what are the RIRA saying to us the general population? I guess the main point must be Prison Officers are targets for guarding the so called political Prisoners if thier are any these days, Murders they are ok with too as they do that themselves. Now the questionable bit is are they also ok with say the thief, drug dealer, joy rider etc. and they must be ok with the Sex/ Child Sex offeners too.
Prison Officers keep us safe from a whole range of offenders, so think before you loons and your supporters target others just doing thier jobs.
Posted by D | 24.03.09, 14:37 GMT
'Hey Arnold' - Thanks for the history lesson but it was not needed. I know what they IRA did and I know what they were about but my point was that after the IRA trying this tactic for over 30 years and failing what makes these 'micro-groups' think they can succeed?!
Posted by Liam | 24.03.09, 13:40 GMT
Lets hope that if these people are regarded as terrorists they are treated accordingly when caught and treated with the same conditions as those with membership of extremism inn other parts of the world.
They do not require the humane treatment that ordinary people in this world have a right to and when caught action is taken accordingly.
For too long those who deny people their right to live and exist in peace have been given benefits to only make it seem that their actions are justified...
They are not
Posted by Richard | 24.03.09, 12:47 GMT
Liam...the IRA had the same objective and planned to use the exact same means as these. They are simply the next generation, but no different to the IRA
Posted by arnold | 24.03.09, 12:36 GMT
Alas, they are not a joke and must be stamped out before they do any more harm.
Posted by patrick | 24.03.09, 12:02 GMT
My sentiments exactly, Liam
Posted by robin | 24.03.09, 11:17 GMT
What a joke these people are. They have little or no support from the Nationalist/Republican communities and the sooner they realise that their pathetic, yet dangerous, objectives are never going to be achieved the better.
After over 30 years of the IRA trying to fight their way to a United Ireland and realising that it wasn't working what makes these thugs think that their poxy little groups can do any better? If they think that shooting the odd police officer or prison warden is going to lead us to that then they are even more stupid than I thought.
Posted by Liam | 24.03.09, 10:28 GMT