By KUNA
London : Northern Ireland is on terror alert, just days after it was announced the British Queen Elizabeth would visit the Province next month, police said Wednesday.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) issued a warning of an increased terrorist threat.
It said it was “stepping up operations across Northern Ireland to disrupt dissident republicans.” The public would notice increased police activity, including the use of vehicle checkpoints, said a statement.
Checkpoints and other overt security measures have hardly been seen in recent times following the return of devolution (limited self-rule) last year.
The PSNI said “The public are urged to be patient and to co-operate with police in this operation which is designed to ensure the safety of the whole community.” The warning came two days after the dissident “Real IRA” group used a newspaper published in Dublin, in the Irish Republic, last Sunday, to claim it was going on the offensive again.
That threat itself came two days after it was announced from Buckingham Palace that the Queen would visit Northern Ireland on Thursday, March 20.
It was thought to be the first time an announcement of a royal visit to Ulster had been announced so far in advance.
Normally, such announcements are not made until the royal visitor is actually within the Province.