"Of course there are evident and serious intelligence failings, otherwise the security situation would not be spiralling out of control. But, this is not due to the deficiencies of MI5 but the deliberate denuding of the PSNI of its tried and tested Special Branch, which was an essential complement to MI5's national role.

 

"We are now reaping what was so cavalierly sown by the Patten Report, when in the dash to 'civic policing' the necessary anti-terrorist capacity was jettisoned, not in accordance with security needs but to placate and facilitate the politics of  the 'peace process'. Sinn Fein demanded that Special Branch should go, so it was wantonly stood down. Foolishly and blindly conned into believing republican terrorism was over the political class fell over themselves to create the illusion of normality, abandoning everything that had anti-terrorist overtones, and thereby IRA terrorists, irrespective of label, have been able to regroup and return. But still, Sinn Fein say no Special Branch, because, as ever, when the choice is between liquidating or really facing down their off-spring, IRA/Sinn Fein is still on the side of their fellow travellers, most of whom they trained."