Police protection for Ulster judges
PSNI officers have been moved to provide personal protection for judges in Northern Ireland as the threat from dissident republicans against members of the judiciary increases.
It is understood that more than 70 police officers are involved in 24-hour security cover for dozens of judges, as well as issuing safety advice to family members.
It is reported that the threat level faced by the judiciary was raised two weeks ago, when two known republican terrorists tracked a judge and his wife to a restaurant.
According to the Times newspaper, the judge and his wife escaped from the restaurant in Limavady before the police arrived, by which time the terrorists had fled.
The newspaper also stated that they have seen a memo in which a senior member of the judiciary wrote to his colleagues saying “that threat is on a step-upwards trajectory and so we all have to be very careful”.
A PSNI spokeswoman said the service does not comment on the security of individuals. “Any decision on the provision of armed close protection is taken after a full security and operational examination and reflects the assessed risk,” she said. “When necessary this is provided by both regular officers and full-time reserve officers.”
The latest development comes after last week’s IMC report, which said the dissident republican threat was at its highest for almost six years.
Both the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA were working more closely together to increase the threat posed to security forces, according to the report.
The involvement of former IRA members “significantly added to the threat”, it continued.
Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar were murdered outside Massereene Army barracks in Antrim on March 7. The attack was claimed by the Real IRA.
The Continuity IRA claimed responsibility for the killing of Constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon less than 48 hours later.
Last month the partner of a police dog-handler escaped serious injury when a bomb partially detonated under her sports car in East Belfast.
Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, last week announced plans to forge ahead with the scrapping of the full-time police reserve.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 14 February 2012
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Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
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