‘They can’t keep me out’: President Biden tells DailyMail.com that terrorists won’t stop him visiting Northern Ireland as threat level is raised to ‘SEVERE’
- Northern Ireland terror threat level has been raised from ‘substantial’ by MI5
- But Biden said it would make no difference to a visit expected next month
- DailyMail.com previously reported he will visit Dublin and Belfast in April
President Joe Biden said Tuesday that nothing would stop him from visiting Northern Ireland after the region’s terrorism threat level was increased to ‘severe’ less than two weeks before the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
Although Biden’s trip has yet to be confirmed by the White House, DailyMail.com revealed that he is expected to visit Belfast and Dublin next month.
On Tuesday, Britain’s MI5 security service increased its risk assessment from ‘substantial’ after police were targeted by politically-motivated groups.
That makes no difference to President Biden, who has talked excitedly for months about his plans to visit the island of his ancestors.
‘They can’t keep me out,’ he told DailyMail.com as he spoke with reporters under the wing of Air Force One before returning from a day trip to North Carolina.
However, the new assessment will cast a shadow over plans to welcome VIPs to Belfast next month to celebrate an accord that helped end decades of violence.
President Joe Biden said a higher terror alert level in Northern Ireland would make little difference to plans for a visit. ‘They can’t keep me out,’ he said
Biden is one of the American dignitaries expected in Northern Ireland next month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement that ended decades of violence
Former President Bill Clinton, who was in power at the time, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are among the dignitaries flying across the Atlantic.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris revealed the shift in a statement to British Members of Parliament earlier on Tuesday.
Sectarian tensions have been rising for some time, with the most high-profile incident being the attempted murder of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in Omagh last month.
American officials played down the possible impact on travel plans.
‘No, it does not have any potential implications for future travel,’ White House spokeswoman Olivia Dalton told reporters aboard Air Force One.
‘I think, as some of you may be aware, according to the UK authorities, this announcement returned Northern Ireland to the threat levels that they have been at for the last 12 years, reversing a downgrade that occurred just last year.’
Even so, the situation has threatened to snowball against the backdrop of a row over post-Brexit rules. The pro-British Democratic Unionist Party has been refusing to participate in power-sharing in protest over import rules – with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s new Windsor Framework package so far not succeeding in bringing them back to Stormont.
The Northern Ireland terrorism threat level has been raised to ‘severe’ from ‘substantial’ – meaning an attack is considered highly likely, according to an MI5 assessment
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris made the announcement on the threat level
Biden’s NI visit will ‘advance peace’, says Tony Blair
Joe Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland will help ‘advance peace’, Tony Blair has said.
The ex-PM played down concerns that the US president’s proud Irish heritage might prevent him being seen as an honest broker.
In an interview with the UK’s ITV television station ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement he helped forge, Blair said people were ‘right’ to criticize the way one party could grind powersharing to a halt.
But he cautioned that a review of the pact could only work if all the sides agreed what should be done.
Blair said he hoped that the DUP will eventually get on board with Rishi Sunak’s new Windsor Framework that reworks the post-Brexit Protocol.
‘The Good Friday Agreement has the ability to be reviewed. It’s one of the provisions in the agreement,’ he said.
‘The problem is, if you want to change existing arrangements, it’s very difficult to do that unless you have all the principal parties on board.
‘People are completely right when they say, why should one partner (have) veto over the whole system.
‘In the end, there is a good case for reviewing it. But you’re only going to get a successful review if everyone is on board.’
Asked about Biden previously comparing the plight of the Irish Catholics under the British to the treatment of Palestinians by Israelis, Blair said: ‘You know, I’ve known Joe Biden for a long, long time. And he’s got a strong Irish heritage, (of) which he’s very proud.
‘But I would be extremely surprised if President Biden comes to Northern Ireland and does anything other than advance the process.’
The threat level for the rest of the UK remains at ‘substantial’, meaning an attack is considered ‘likely’.
Northern Ireland’s level had been lowered to substantial a year ago – the first time it had been altered since 2010.
Biden was invited to Northern Ireland by Sunak earlier this month.
‘I know it’s something very special and personal to you. We’d love to have you,’ the prime minister told the American president.
Biden responded by saying he had every intention of taking up the invitation soon.
An invitation from the Republican of Ireland followed soon after.
Biden is among the American politicians who can claim a role in helping push through the deal. He was a member of the Senate foreign relations committee which nudged the Clinton administration to deploy its political clout and broker the deal.
His Irish heritage has been a frequent touchstone for his political speeches, and he has described how his family left their homeland ‘because of what the Brits were doing.’
Last year, on St. Patrick’s Day, he set out what his Irish heritage gave to him and other Irish emigrants.
‘Hope is what brought forth on the Emerald Isle a nation of poets and patriots, saints, scholars, artists, and engineers,’ he said at the White House.
‘Hope kept us looking toward the far horizon. It urges us over every obstacle. It tells us to try again when we fall short, to rise each time we fall.’
Mr Heaton-Harris said the threat level review ‘takes into account a range of factors and analysis of recent incidents’.
‘The decision to change the threat level is taken by MI5, independently of ministers,’ he said.
‘The public should remain vigilant, but not be alarmed, and continue to report any concerns they have to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
‘Over the last 25 years, Northern Ireland has transformed into a peaceful society. The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement demonstrates how peaceful and democratic politics improve society.
‘However, a small number of people remain determined to cause harm to our communities through acts of politically motivated violence.
‘In recent months, we have seen an increase in levels of activity relating to Northern Ireland Related Terrorism, which has targeted police officers serving their communities and also put at risk the lives of children and other members of the public.
‘These attacks have no support, as demonstrated by the reaction to the abhorrent attempted murder of DCI Caldwell.
‘I pay tribute to the tremendous efforts of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and security partners, and the determination and resilience of the Northern Ireland people, who are making Northern Ireland a safer place to live and work.
‘The political future of Northern Ireland rests with the democratic will of the people and not the violent actions of the few. Together we will ensure there is no return to the violence of the past.’
Biden accepted the invitation to visit Northern Ireland from British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a meeting in San Diego earlier this month. He is also invited to the Republic of Ireland
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson called on the Government to fund more police officers in the region.
‘It is bad news for Northern Ireland when the risk of further attacks moves to “likely” or “very likely”,’ he said.
‘I look forward to a day when the threat level is removed but to get there the community must stand with the police and demonstrate there is no space for terrorism in Northern Ireland in 2023.
‘The Government made a commitment to help fund 7,500 officers in the PSNI but have not yet made good on that promise.
‘With police officers facing such a threat, now is the time for the Government to provide that additional funding to ensure the Police Service of Northern Ireland has the full capacity to meet this threat.’
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