Police ‘reviewing’ Swedish TV interview with ‘CIRA member’

The interview is featured in the SVT programme ‘Agenda’ which looks at recent terror attacks in light of the border question at the heart of the Brexit debate.

A man wearing a balaclava and dark sunglasses, described as a Continuity IRA member, claimed the bomb attack on police at Wattle Bridge, Co Fermanagh two weeks ago and the mortar attack in the Tullgally Road area of Craigavon in July, were carried out by “volunteers from the Irish Republican Army under orders from the Continuity Army Council”.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Detectives are aware of a video interview with a man purporting to represent a dissident republican organisation and are currently reviewing its contents.”

Detective Superintendent Sean Wright said: “We are aware of this video and are currently reviewing its contents. The threat level against police officers in Northern Ireland remains severe and investigations into recent attacks against police officers in Craigavon and Newtownbutler are ongoing. Those responsible for these attacks clearly do not care about their communities or the lives of those who live in the local areas and I continue to appeal to anyone with any information on any terrorist activity to come forward and speak to police on 101.”

In the interview, the masked man is asked why the attacks were carried out.

“There’s no particular reason for it,” the man said. “We have just decided this last while. We have re-grouped, re-armed and we’re just going to continue on again.”

Asked if the attacks were carried out due to Brexit, the CIRA man said: “It does to a certain extent. It doesn’t matter what Britain does out of Europe. They will still be in Ireland. We want them out of Ireland and then out of Europe.”

He said the “likes of border posts, military checkpoints across the border, will give us further opportunity to attack the crown forces”.