British politicians and senior police officers and others seen as possible targets of the Provisional IRA are being warned to increase their personal security, the British government has confirmed.
The warnings of potential IRA attack were issued after the existing threat level in Britain was reassessed and upgraded in the wake of the current security and political "turbulence", a British government spokesman told The Irish Times.
The risk level was raised following the Northern Bank robbery, the murder of Robert McCartney and the alleged involvement of the IRA in multi-million pound money laundering.
The spokesman stressed, however, that he was not intimating the IRA was planning to break its ceasefire.
"This is just a precaution that reflects the level of uncertainty following recent events. There is nothing to suggest that the IRA ceasefire is likely to be breached," he added.
Names of individuals who were warned or about to be warned were not revealed, but the British government spokesman indicated people such as certain British Labour and Conservative MPs and ministers with sensitive portfolios and senior police were alerted to a potential risk.
It is understood that others such as judges and military personnel are also being warned.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said as far as his party was concerned the "IRA was on cessation, was committed to the cessation and to the peace process".
"Our focus is on trying to rebuild the peace process in the wake of what happened in December, and we are not going to be deflected from that by some security briefing".
PSNI officers have also been warned to be more security conscious, and to keep their personal weapons about them while off duty, sources said.
One senior Northern political source added that the level of security for at least one and possibly two leading unionist politicians had been upgraded recently, whereas about a year ago there were general reports of such security being downgraded for Northern politicians.
The source acknowledged the security assessment that the IRA was not intending to end its ceasefire.
"The fear, however, is that republican dissidents could be used to do their dirty work for them."
Dublin and London sources say there is no intelligence indicating any IRA plans to return to violence.
One senior figure, however, said that the security threat in Britain was upgraded because with the republican movement "there is always an unpredictability factor".
"We are absolutely convinced that the Adams-McGuinness leadership is in control, and has no intention of breaking the ceasefire. However, because of all the uncertainty and pressure on republicans, there are some in the IRA who want the IRA leadership to take action", he said.
"This is more precautionary than anything else. We are mindful of how we were unprepared for Canary Wharf [the 1996 London bombing that ended the IRA ceasefire of August 1994].
"In political terms it would be mad for the IRA to do anything. But there is an irrational element to the IRA, and when you link that factor to its strong military capability we feel it is important to raise awareness about a possible threat," the source added.
Despite the security warning, the PSNI chief constable, Mr Hugh Orde, announced yesterday that the Girdwood British army base in north Belfast is to close, and that the military observation post at Oldpark police station in the north of the city is to be removed.
The PSNI said the decision was taken in full consultation with the British army, and followed an assessment of the security situation.
The DUP MP for North Belfast, Mr Nigel Dodds, portrayed the decision as foolhardly, "particularly when there are sinister noises coming from republicans".
In the House of Commons yesterday, the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, re-affirmed their desire to carry the political process forward "on an inclusive basis." However, during Northern Ireland Questions, Mr Dodds told Mr Murphy that as far as his party was concerned "there will be no further chances for Sinn Féin-IRA and no further fudging of democracy . . . it's time to move on without them."
