by Our Foreign Desk

NORTHERN Ireland’s top police officer warned yesterday that a rise in paramilitary attacks was “a worrying throwback to years gone by.”

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) chief superintendent Nigel Grimshaw said that while the number of bombings had decreased, 100 people were the victims of paramilitary attacks last year — 36 of them shootings.

Speaking at the AGM of the Superintendents Association of Northern Ireland, he said that some communities faced the worst excesses of violence and criminality.

And he warned that his officers were unable to provide comprehensive coverage if public disorder threatened.

Prisoner populations in Northern Ireland are growing, with more people sentenced for terrorist-related offences.

Mr Grimshaw called for the community to come forward and help police.

He appealed to residents of both republican and unionist communities to turn their backs on paramilitaries who claim to protect them.

“We must continue to break down this myth and support people to say enough is enough,” he said.

Mr Grimshaw also called for the implementation of policies to deal with sectarian parades, which he said placed a great financial burden on the PSNI.

But he also blamed republican party Sinn Fein’s alleged refusal to implement welfare reform for stalling implementation of the the Stormont House Agreement on problems stemming from 30 years of conflict.

Communist Party of Ireland chairwoman Lynda Walker responded: “The comment that this paramilitary activity is a throwback to the past is not exactly true because this type of elitist action has never stopped.

“It is action that does not represent the community, but in a situation where forces of the law have merged with paramilitaries, the problems relating to trust and policing are great.”

Ms Walker questioned the commitment of unionist politicians to end the paramilitary threat when their demonstrations over the issue of the British flag were attended by loyalist paramilitaries.

“The Communist Party of Ireland believes the lack of finance for the PSNI and welfare is all part of the same problem,” she added.