Suspected pipe bombs found in Northern Ireland cemetery ahead of Biden visit - The Telegraph

Four suspected pipe bombs were discovered at the scene of a dissident republican march on Tuesday as Joe Biden flew into Northern Ireland pledging to “keep the peace”.

Police were attacked for a second day in Londonderry as officers made safe the crude homemade devices, hours before the US president arrived in Belfast to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The devices were found at the city cemetery off the Creggan estate where the previous day hundreds taking part in a dissident republican march were urged to “join the IRA”.

The Good Friday Agreement created the Northern Ireland Assembly, which is based on power-sharing between unionists and nationalists and Mr Biden vowed to promote Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal and protect the peace-keeping agreement.

Northern Ireland has been divided by the new Windsor Framework and the president, a Catholic who regularly refers to his Irish roots, will tell the DUP to drop their year-long boycott of the Assembly.

“Make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, to keep the peace. That’s the - that’s the main thing. And it’s [looking] like we’re going to - keep your fingers crossed,” Mr Biden said.

Mr Biden disembarks Air Force One upon his arrival at RAF Aldergrove airbase in Belfast Credit: Reuters

Mr Biden was greeted by Mr Sunak upon arrival Credit: AFP

The DUP has accused Mr Biden, who will spend less than than 24 hours in Northern Ireland before three days south of the border, of being anti-British.

“Pressure from an American administration which is so transparently pro-nationalist constitutes no pressure on us at all,” said Nigel Dodds, the DUP peer. 

“Our decisions will be taken with the interests of Northern Ireland at the heart of our thinking. That’s not what the Americans are about, especially Joe Biden.”

DUP MP Sammy Wilson said: “He’s anti-British. He is pro-Republican and he has made his antipathy towards protestants in particular very well known. 

“He has fully backed the EU in this whole Protocol process. He’s refusing to come to the coronation. I don’t think any of us are rushing through the door to greet him.”

PM won't attend Biden's keynote speech

Mr Biden angered unionists when he warned Britain there would be no post-Brexit trade deal with the US if the UK carried out its threat to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol treaty with the EU.

The Prime Minister, who will also meet Mr Biden during his whistlestop visit, has since struck the new Windsor Framework agreement with the EU.

But Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, has said the new treaty does not do enough to protect Northern Ireland’s place in the UK and has refused to return to power-sharing. 

Mr Biden pictured boarding Air Force Once ahead of his arrival in Northern Ireland Credit: KEVIN LAMARQUE/Reuters

Mr Biden was expected to address Stormont but instead he will meet the five leaders of Northern Ireland’s major political parties at the opening of a new branch of Ulster University in Belfast and urge the DUP in person to end the deadlock.

Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Biden’s keynote speech, with Downing Street denying that the pair’s own talks would be “low-key”.

Unionists have not forgiven Mr Biden for several gaffes and accuse him of arguing against laws making it easier to extradite IRA terrorists from the US when he was a senator. 

The DUP are facing local elections in May and the prospect of bleeding support to the hardline and virulently anti-deal Traditional Unionist Voice, which has made them more determined to resist the overtures of the world’s most powerful man. 

'He shouldn't have bothered'

“Biden is irredeemably partisan,” Jim Allister, the TUV’s leader told The Telegraph.

“His continuing stance is anti-British and anti-Unionist. With our public finances severely stretched, we could well do without squandering £7 million on security for him.”

But Stephen Kelly, the chief executive of Manufacturing NI, said the president’s visit was a great opportunity for Northern Ireland, which is the poorest region in the UK. 

“This is not just a chance to celebrate and reflect on 25 years of peace but launch the next 25 years of prosperity.”

Northern Ireland has been divided by the new Windsor Framework and Joe Biden Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP

On Belfast’s Shankill Road, locals said the president’s visit would do more harm than good as they stood amid the backdrop of murals including a tribute to the late Queen and memorials to civilians murdered by the IRA.

“He shouldn’t have bothered,” Elizabeth Jones, 65, said as she watched a unionist band parade with her daughter Miriam Martin, 44.

“He should have just gone on down south. Not that we want him anyway. He’s re-opening old wounds like the Kennedys did. He’s not interested in the peace process, all he’s interested in is Republicanism. It’s none of his business.”

Sandra Smyth had been watching the parade with her granddaughter Clara, three, who waved a union flag from her pram as family members taking part passed by.

Ms Smyth, 63, a retired nursing home worker, said: “He’s just another American president doing what American presidents do best, going to other countries, causing trouble and then going back home.”

Meanwhile, a poster lambasting prominent politicians including Mr Biden for “not listening” could be spotted on the streets of Belfast ahead of the US leader’s visit.

Hundreds of extra officers drafted in

Mr Biden arrives amid the biggest security operation in Northern Ireland since the G8 summit a decade ago. Hundreds of extra officers have been drafted in to help protect the president as part of the £7 million operation.

Police are on high alert after an armoured Land Rover was firebombed in Londonderry during a march linked to the New IRA, now being investigated by counter-terror police.

The pipe bombs were discovered close to where the colour party wearing paramilitary style clothing leading the illegal march burnt their outfits. 

Bobby Singleton, the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Assistant Chief Constable, said that the force's warning last week that disorder would be used “to launch terrorist attacks on police” and officers were again attacked with petrol bombs as they investigated the devices.

The cemetery where the suspected pipe bomnbs were found was only accessible to facilitate burials on Tuesday Credit: Liam McBurney/PA

“The discovery of these devices was a further sinister and worrying development. The actions of those responsible are reprehensible and show a complete disregard and utter contempt for the community. These suspected pipe bombs were left in a cemetery, a place where people lay loved ones to rest and visit to pay their respects. That is absolutely shameful.”

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2023-04-12 01:21:00Z
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