It is obvious, whatever the strength of the dissident republican gangs, that they have the capability of causing quite severe disruption to normal life in Northern Ireland. The series of hijackings, burnings and bomb alerts in Belfast and later in Lurgan showed a degree of planning and quite a large number of participants.

It was a worrying show of strength, given the insistence of police and politicians that the dissidents are very small in number and in support.

What is also showed was that they are prepared to use extreme violence if necessary. This was most obvious in the recent killings of two soldiers and a police officer, but during yesterday’s spate of hijackings, one driver was doused in petrol and put in mortal fear for his life and another was threatened with being shot if he did not carry out the hijackers’ orders. There were also reports that some hijacking victims were robbed, adding insult to injury.

The net result of the orchestrated mayhem was gridlock in parts of Belfast for several hours and a

big publicity boost for the terrorist groups responsible.

They have got the public talking about the one subject that everyone had hoped was consigned to the past — violence on the streets of our towns and cities. While there is virtually unanimous political condemnation of the dissident terrorists — that in itself is the clearest demonstration of how far this province has progressed in recent years — it is obvious there is still a disaffected republican rump intent on causing mischief or worse.

There is absolutely no public appetite for the

sort of destruction seen on the streets of Belfast and Lurgan two evenings ago.

At this time people are concerned about their job prospects, their financial standing and what the future holds economically. Violence on the streets, even if demonstrably from a very small group of dissidents, is a distraction that nobody wants.

It is also a negative image for those trying to sell the province as an investment location for when the global economic upturn does eventually arrive.

These are words which were written repeatedly during some of the darkest days of the Troubles. It

is clear that recent events have their roots in those days, probably masterminded by people who were active terrorists in the past.

Sadly, they are trying to suck a new generation of young people into their evil ways in pursuit of unachievable aims.

What the public now expects is for the police and the intelligence services to clamp down hard on the dissidents to render them as ineffective as quickly as possible.

The public must also show its solidarity with the police by giving them any information which could lead to the arrest and imprisonment of those responsible for recent violence.

In the new Northern Ireland, the police expect, and should get, the full co-operation of the public in hunting down criminals.

The longer the dissidents are able to demonstrate their capabilities, the greater the risk that more misguided people will be drawn to their ranks. That is a prospect too terrifying to contemplate.