July 29,
2008: British counter-terrorism
officials believe that Irish terrorists (splinter groups of the IRA, or Irish
Republican Army) in Northern Ireland are currently more of a terrorist threat
than Islamic radicals. The Irish terror groups are planning violence in an
effort to disrupt the peace deal that was worked out in Northern Ireland,
between the Catholic and Protestant communities. British intelligence believes
that about 80 Irish terrorists are planning attacks.
Although
there are more potential Islamic terrorists, their planning activity has
declined, largely as a result of many arrests, and failed attacks, as well as
the recent al Qaeda defeat in Iraq. Islamic terrorism has also become less
popular in Moslem nations over the past few years, and is less fashionable
among young Moslems in Britain. The threat of Islamic terrorism is still there,
but British intelligence simply believes that the Irish terrorists are trying
hard to get something going again.