Sinn Féin's policing spokesman Gerry Kelly has said he is treating seriously a warning of a threat against him from dissident republicans that he received from the PSNI.
Mr Kelly confirmed at Stormont yesterday this third reported incident in recent weeks of a threat against senior Sinn Féin members.
Mr Kelly showed journalists the official warning he received as he prepared for yesterday morning's first meeting of the policing sub-committee of the Assembly Programme for Government committee.
"Dissident republicans are planning to carry out some form of unspecified attack against Gerry Kelly from Sinn Féin in the near future. You are advised to seek advice on and take steps to protect your personal security," the warning stated.
Mr Kelly said he would not be deflected from his political work. "I think we have to take a threat like this as serious, but it is not going to distract me which is the important thing to say. It is worrying for my family, but we will get on with the business," he said.
Last month Sinn Féin confirmed that from its own intelligence it knew of threats from dissidents against Mr Kelly, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, and the party's chief negotiator Martin McGuinness. Subsequently a warning was issued by the PSNI of a threat against Sinn Féin leaders.
At the time Mr Adams said the threats emanated from a "tiny number of disaffected former IRA people and elements of various micro-groups, including some members of the INLA".
Both the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde said the threats were serious. They come as Sinn Féin leaders have been preparing the republican base for a radical shift from antagonism to endorsement of the police, conditional on DUP powersharing and the devolution of justice and policing powers to the Northern Executive.
Sir Hugh and other police commanders have also warned that dissident republicans such as the Real IRA and Continuity IRA are intent on disrupting attempts to strike a powersharing deal between Sinn Féin and the DUP based on the St Andrews Agreement and the Belfast Agreement.
Dissident groups have carried out several attacks and attempted bombings in recent months.
Yesterday Scotch Street in Armagh city was closed because of a firebomb warning by the police.
