IRA plotting to murder Brit Army cadets: Members warned of ‘imminent’ threat of car bombs
MI5 ramps up terror threat and warns of new car bomb traps
IRA thugs are plotting to kill British Army cadets and have developed deadly new car bombs, The Sun can reveal.
MI5 has ramped up the terror level to “substantial” and warned of possible attacks in England and an “imminent threat” to Northern Ireland based army volunteers.
A text message obtained by the Irish Sun, sent from security forces to Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAV), warns of new deadly under-car booby traps.
It read: “Highly urgent.
“To all CFAVs. Imminent threat of an Under Vehicle Improvised Explosive Device province-wide.
“All personnel must check their vehicles immediately.
“Vehicles must be checked every time prior to use.”
Cadets have been warned to avoid counties Louth, Monaghan and Donegal amid fears of an attack by the so-called ‘new’ IRA.
The latest security message was issued just days before MI5 warned the threat posed in the UK had been raised from “moderate” to “substantial”.
A source said: “This is an extremely worrying development and the message shows how serious the authorities are taking it.
“You just have to look to the Omagh bomb to see how easy it is for the bombers to target innocent people.
“They have already targeted innocent people this year and will continue to do it.
“The dissident capability has increased in recent months and it’s worrying to think children could be targeted with under-car bombs.
“The terrorists are strong along the Border and would think nothing of targeting a young cadet’s family.”
The CFAV is made up of adult volunteers who train cadets aged between 12 and 18.
The unit is part of Britain’s Ministry of Defence, but cadets don’t have to join the British Armed Forces.
So far this year, IRA splinter groups have been linked to three deadly attacks in Northern Ireland including the murder of taxi driver Michael McGibbon, 33 and the killing of Dan Murray, 54.
In March, prison officer Adrian Ismay died when an undercar booby trap bomb detonated as he drove to work.
The die-hard groups were also involved in the murder of gangster David Byrne, 33, at the Regency Hotel, Dublin, in February.
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