Condemnation Of Republican Dissidents

Ulster Unionist MLA Leslie Cree has condemned dissident Republicanism for the harmful affect their actions are having on the police provision in NI. He made is comments after the Chief Constable revealed that the PSNI are now taking longer to reply to emergency calls due to the increased threat to their officers.

Leslie Cree, who is also a member of the Policing board, said "the sooner the criminals realise they have zero support within the community the better. The ideology which they do claim to espouse is both outdated and backward, however we cannot dismiss the threat which these terrorists present. After the revelations from Sir Hugh Orde that the threat of Republican terrorism is delaying the response times of his officers, then I think it is really an issue we can't afford to ignore"

The North Down MLA went on to say "the lack of morals these terrorists show is worrying. We know they are willing to murder PSNI officers in cold blood; therefore the threat must not be underestimated. We need to ensure that the PSNI have the adequate resources available to crush this threat, and that why I so adamantly opposed a move to cut the policing budget in recent weeks."

"Dissident terrorists will eventually have to realise they are doing no one any good. People's lives are being put under increased danger just because the PSNI have to take extra caution when they are going about their daily job. Would these criminals still think the same if their families were ever in need of an emergency police response"

Leslie Cree concluded by remarking "They have zero support and they are representing a redundant form of militant republicanism which has failed in the past, and is bound to fail again."