Stormont’s political vacuum not to blame for rising terrorism threat Donaldson

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The political vacuum in Northern Ireland is not to blame for the increased threat from dissident Republicans, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

The PSNI has warned of the possibility of dissidents launching attacks on their officers in Londonderry on Easter Monday.

But Sir Jeffrey said the idea that the collapse of power-sharing institutions had fueled the violence does not hold water.

As Stormont sat for many years, these dissident republicans indulged in violence, they murdered police officers, he told BBC Radio Four.

The leader of the DUP added: I remember during a sitting of the Assembly they murdered two soldiers in County Antrim as they prepared to deploy to Afghanistan.

Of course, we want to see Stormont fully functioning, but the idea that when we get Stormont running again, that dissenting Republicans will lay down their guns, I haven’t heard the Chief of Police (Simon Byrne) suggest.

The idea that evil men and women who go out to commit murder are reacting to political circumstances simply does not hold.

Some of the police chiefs’ officers were murdered by these dissident Republicans while Stormont was seated and indeed they murdered other people and they continued their terrorist activities throughout the time that Stormont was seated.

All party leaders stood in solidarity with the police chief when these attacks took place.

MI5 recently raised the terror threat level in Northern Ireland to high, meaning an attack is very likely.

This followed the shooting attack on Senior Detective John Caldwell in Co Tyrone, who suffered life-changing injuries.

Police blamed the New IRA for the attack.

Mr Byrne said more officers would be assigned to frontline duties to counter any potential threats.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Simon Byrne has warned of a threat to his officers from dissident Republicans (Liam McBurney/PA)

The DUP has withdrawn its support for power-sharing institutions as part of its protest against post-Brexit trade deals.

Earlier this year, the UK government and the EU unveiled the Windsor Framework to alleviate some of the trade difficulties caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol.

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While the DUP says the framework has helped address its concerns, it believes some significant issues remain and has made it clear that its boycott will continue until it gets further assurances.

Sir Jeffrey said his party would consider a report in the coming days from an advisory group he set up on the framework.

He said: It was in Washington that I gave the answer, I indicated that there were a number of major areas of concern that we had about the Windsor Framework, that we were engaged in a consultation process.

We consult with our people, we talk to our people, we listen to their views.

I now have the report of our consultation group.

They consulted extensively with businesses, people in the community, we have this report.

We will review this report over the next few days and then present the outcome of our consultation to the government and urge the government to bring forward the legislation it has promised to protect Northern Ireland’s ability to trade in the within the United Kingdom and to restore our place within the United Kingdom.

It’s the key to open the Stormont Gate.

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