VIDEO: Policing Board 'warned of attack'
THE Policing Board was warned that dissident republicans were targeting the wider police family, a member has revealed.
UUP MLA Basil McCrea said a security review is likely to take place on Monday following the attempted bomb attack at the organisation's headquarters at Clarendon Dock in Belfast.
He said board members were made aware of the increased dissident threat within the last fortnight.
"We've known that the threat has been high for a period of time and we know they (dissidents) are expanding their targets beyond police officers," he said.
However, while taking the threat seriously, the Ulster Unionist warned that members would not be deterred from their duties by the terrorist act.
"This will not change the way we do the oversight arrangements. We need to be open and transparent and we will not react negatively to it. We will make sensible adjustments as necessary but the main thing is to keep ourselves open and accessible to anyone who wants to talk with us," he said.
The Lagan Valley MLA expressed concerns at the ease at which the perpetrators breached security in Saturday evening's incident. He hoped relevant precautions would be taken.
"There are obviously issues that will need to be looked at in light of the attack. It shouldn't be the case that a car can drive right up to the front door – we are going to have to look at some sort of provision on that," he said.
Fellow Policing Board member Jimmy Spratt MLA said the "murderous criminals" responsible for the attack "have no compunction whatsoever in targeting innocent civilians".
He added: "As well as continually pressing our concerns with the senior officers of the police, including the Chief Constable, over the safety of rank-and-file officers from dissident republicans, we have warned that board staff are at risk also.
"After this attempt by dissident republican terrorists to blow up Policing Board HQ, our concerns have been vindicated."
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
