Northern Ireland
Key points:
- Some key paramilitary groups have declared ceasefires or an end to their campaigns.
- Continuing terrorist threat from dissident Irish republican groups.
- Some paramilitary groups continue to be involved in criminality and violence.
The security threat during Northern Ireland's "Troubles" came from a number of paramilitary organisations, several of which are still active.
Terrorism related to the Troubles has greatly diminished in recent years, with the Provisional IRA and the main Loyalist groups ceasing their terrorist campaigns and engaging in the peace process. On 8 May 2007, the devolved Northern Ireland Executive was successfully restored with the creation of a new government under a power-sharing agreement between nationalist and Unionist political parties.
Historically, the most prominent sources of security threats in Northern Ireland have been:
- The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA), which has accepted the Northern Ireland peace process and decommisioned its weapons;
- Dissident Irish Republican terrorist groups, which reject the peace process and continue to carry out attacks;
- Loyalist terrorist groups, some of which have declared ceasefires but have continued to engage in violence.
