Republican threat 'real and growing after Lisnaskea incident

Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA has warned that there has been a steady escalation in republican violence and that the threat they pose is assessed as real and growing. This follows the latest rocket attack on police officers in Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh.

Tom said: " At a time when republicans have heightened tensions within the Assembly by their prolonged stalling tactics of Executive decisions, now I assume this incident is republicans continuing a terrorist campaign along the Fermanagh border.

This attack in Lisnaskea last night had the potential to seriously injury or murder security services and civilians. These people have a clear intent to kill police officers. It is obvious that the perpetrators have experience in this area of bomb making and have the materials and equipment necessary to make such lethal devices easily available to them.

"It is their way of getting noticed - their way of demonstrating their opposition to Northern Ireland and sending a message to the Unionist people and indeed all the world that they have not gone away.

"The citizens of this province need to know the extent of the continued terrorist campaign and if this is being carried out with the blessing of the mainstream Sinn Fein/IRA movement and if some of their members are assisting with any dissident activity in the area?

"If there is not the resources within the current PSNI structure to deal with these incidents it may be necessary to deploy some Army back onto the streets of this province. We cannot allow an escalation of such terrorism to go unchecked.

"This area of Fermanagh has suffered heinous terrorist activity during the past 40 years, surely there is a need for these people to be allowed to enjoy some peace at this time.

"I trust the security services will have the full support of all within our community to free our society from these terrorist thugs.

"It should not be difficult in this new era of peace that all the Sinn Fein Ministers, Martin McGuiness, Michelle Gildernew, Conor Murphy, Catriona Ruane and Gerry Kelly are pressed to support the forces of law and order and would assist the authorities in bringing those responsible before the courts. It should be a simple choice as they are pushing for Policing & Justice to be dissolved to Stormont immediately.

"It is now time that the security forces have the full support of all within our communities and all Sinn Fein/IRA must demonstrate that they would supply information to the PSNI to rid our society of terrorists."

For further information contact Tom Elliott MLA on 079 779 244 38