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| Dissident republicans: PSNI fear centenary murder bids on security forces | Dissident republicans: PSNI fear centenary murder bids on security forces |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Dissident republicans want to kill members of the security forces in the run up to the centenary of the Easter Rising, according to a senior police officer. | Dissident republicans want to kill members of the security forces in the run up to the centenary of the Easter Rising, according to a senior police officer. |
| He was speaking after a bomb exploded under a prison officer's van in east Belfast. | He was speaking after a bomb exploded under a prison officer's van in east Belfast. |
| The device partially detonated when he drove over a speed ramp at Hillsborough Drive, at 07:10 GMT. | The device partially detonated when he drove over a speed ramp at Hillsborough Drive, at 07:10 GMT. |
| The 52-year-old man is in a stable condition in hospital. | The 52-year-old man is in a stable condition in hospital. |
| It is understood the prison officer works in Hydebank Wood Young Offenders' Centre in Belfast. | It is understood the prison officer works in Hydebank Wood Young Offenders' Centre in Belfast. |
| More on the BBC News NI Live page. | More on the BBC News NI Live page. |
| Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Ass Ch Con Stephen Martin said: "The threat is severe. That means an attack is highly possible. | Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Ass Ch Con Stephen Martin said: "The threat is severe. That means an attack is highly possible. |
| "But we are deeply concerned by the current threat picture. In recent weeks we have been increasing patrols across Northern Ireland and we intend to do that in the coming weeks up to and through Easter. | "But we are deeply concerned by the current threat picture. In recent weeks we have been increasing patrols across Northern Ireland and we intend to do that in the coming weeks up to and through Easter. |
| "Easter is a very very important part of the annual calendar. This year it has much greater and increased significance. | "Easter is a very very important part of the annual calendar. This year it has much greater and increased significance. |
| "It's the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. That's a very important date, particularly for people from the nationalist/republican community." | "It's the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. That's a very important date, particularly for people from the nationalist/republican community." |
| The rising was a short and ill-fated republican rebellion against British rule in Ireland. | |
| It lasted just one week - from 24 April (Easter Monday) to 30 April 1916 - but despite its military failure it is seen by many historians as a significant stepping-stone in the partition of the island and the eventual creation of the Republic of Ireland | |
| "We will be culturally sensitive in our policing of the Easter '16 events," ACC Martin said. | |
| "However, there are people within dissident republican groupings who want to mark the Easter 2016 100th anniversary in an entirely sinister way. Who want to kill police officers, prison officers or soldiers." | "However, there are people within dissident republican groupings who want to mark the Easter 2016 100th anniversary in an entirely sinister way. Who want to kill police officers, prison officers or soldiers." |
| He appealed for the help of the community to deal with the dissident threat. | He appealed for the help of the community to deal with the dissident threat. |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers told BBC's The Stephen Nolan Show that the attack was "a demonstration of how lethal the terrorist threat continues to be in Northern Ireland". | Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers told BBC's The Stephen Nolan Show that the attack was "a demonstration of how lethal the terrorist threat continues to be in Northern Ireland". |
| "Thankfully these incidents happen very rarely but that is only because of the outstanding work of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and their security partners in preventing these attacks from happening most of the time," she added. | "Thankfully these incidents happen very rarely but that is only because of the outstanding work of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and their security partners in preventing these attacks from happening most of the time," she added. |
| Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said it was a "disgraceful and despicable attack". | Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said it was a "disgraceful and despicable attack". |
| "Our thoughts and prayers are with this senior prison officer and his family as he is treated for his injuries in hospital," they said. | "Our thoughts and prayers are with this senior prison officer and his family as he is treated for his injuries in hospital," they said. |
| "We join all right-thinking people in condemning these cowardly actions. As a prison officer, he is someone who serves and protects our community and we are united in our rejection of this attack." | "We join all right-thinking people in condemning these cowardly actions. As a prison officer, he is someone who serves and protects our community and we are united in our rejection of this attack." |
| Finlay Spratt from the Prison Officers Association said prison officers had continued to be targeted since the ceasefires and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. | Finlay Spratt from the Prison Officers Association said prison officers had continued to be targeted since the ceasefires and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. |
| "There is no let up for prison officers, we can't live a normal life, we're not allowed to live a normal life by these thugs," he said. | "There is no let up for prison officers, we can't live a normal life, we're not allowed to live a normal life by these thugs," he said. |
| "It doesn't matter how often you condemn it, it just seems to go on and on and they're attacking people who are serving the community, all the community." | "It doesn't matter how often you condemn it, it just seems to go on and on and they're attacking people who are serving the community, all the community." |
| A number of residents have been moved from their homes at Hillsborough Drive and an emergency evacuation centre has been opened at the Salvation Army on the Cregagh Road. | A number of residents have been moved from their homes at Hillsborough Drive and an emergency evacuation centre has been opened at the Salvation Army on the Cregagh Road. |
| Three years ago dissident republicans shot and killed prison officer David Black on the M1 as he made his way to work. |