Dissident Republicans make London bomb threat

The Met Police said security in the capital was heightened after a “non-specific” threat was issued to authorities on Sunday night.

Areas were cordoned off for several hours on Monday morning amid an increased police presence across the capital.

The threat comes a day before the Queen is due to begin her first ever visit to the Republic of Ireland and a week before US President Barack Obama visits Britain.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “A bomb threat warning has been received relating to central London today. The threat is not specific in relation to location or time.

“The threat level from Irish-related terrorism has not increased and remains at substantial.”

Londoners were urged to go about their business as usual but remain “highly vigilant” and look out for “unusual activity or behaviour” in a statement issued by police.

Policing operations and contingency planning remain under constant review and a wide range of overt and covert tactics will continue to be used in London. Met Police spokesman

The Metropolitan Police statement said: “Policing operations and contingency planning remain under constant review and a wide range of overt and covert tactics will continue to be used in London.”

Londoners are being asked to report any information about unusual activity or behaviour which may be terrorist-related to the confidential anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321, or ring 999 in an emergency.

A security professional with expertise on the threat from Republican terrorists told Channel 4 News: “The reason the authorities are taking this seriously is because a recognised code word was used. This one has been attributed to dissident Republicans.

“They have been very active recently and there was speculation several weeks ago that they had a unit operating on the mainland.

“With the Queen’s visit, Ireland is thought to be locked down and it will be very difficult for these groups to operate. Their aspiration is obviously to conduct attacks on the mainland and they may feel this is a good time to do it while attention is concentrated elsewhere.

“It could be a hoax, similar to threats they have made in the past, designed to cause disruption and a lot of financial cost to the UK.

“It could also be a way for them to gather intelligence. You make a threat, and look for weaknesses in how the authorities react to it.”

More from Channel 4 News: Queen's Ireland visit aims to heal old wounds

Police carried out a controlled explosion to destroy a suspicious bag in a central London street on Monday morning, although it turned out to be harmless.

Scotland Yard are understood to have mobilised more explosives-trained officers in expectation of a rise in reports of suspicious packages following the warning.

The threat level from Irish-related terrorism has not increased and remains at substantial, meaning that an attack is a strong possibility, police said.

The threat level was raised last September from moderate to substantial. This is lower than the overall threat to the UK from international terrorism, which remains at severe.

Opinions amongst experts and politicians and experts are divided about whether dissidents are capable of executing an attack on mainland Britain.

Prof Max Taylor of The Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV), recently told Channel 4 News that the sophisticated device used to kill PC Ronan Kerr in April was evidence of dissidents’ capabilities.

“This attack is very different and unusual from the others that have gone before it recently: it is clear that Northern Ireland’s dissents have become more powerful and noisier. It is also clear that older, more experienced provisionals are involved. That means they know where the arms are and also know how to use them, i.e. to make bombs,” he said.

But Tory MP and former solider, Patrick Mercer, said he did not believe attacks on mainland Britain were a realistic possibility at present. “There is always an undercurrent of talk that these people are devising attacks on mainland Britain, but at this stage I think these are only ambitions,” Mr Mercer, who served nine tours in the North with the Sherwood Foresters Regiment during the Troubles, told Channel 4 News.

“Clearly, with the involvement of the old provisionals in these splinter groups, the possibility that there will be a terrorist attack on mainland Britain is heightened, but their resources and organisational skills do not appear to be developed enough at present.

Mr Mercer added that a threat to the mainland just as the Queen is about to travel to Ireland fits with republican dissidents’ modus operandi.

“Look at what the old provisionals (provisional IRA) used to do, and you’ll have a good idea as to what this new breed of terrorists has in mind. To gain the best publicity for their cause, they will target iconic events and VIPs,” he said.