Mr. John David Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken following the terrorist attacks on the border at the Army/police station in Middletown on 23 November and at the Fane Valley Co-operative building at Newtownhamilton on 25 November; who were responsible for these terrorist attacks; whether the terrorists were operating from the territory of the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the security situation along the Irish/United Kingdom border.
§ Mr. ScottThese disgraceful attacks are the subject of investigations by the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Appropriate assistance is being sought from the Garda Siochana. Both are thought to have been the work of the Provisional IRA. In the attack at Middletown the mortar814W rounds were fired from a vehicle situated in the Republic of Ireland. The vehicle used to convey the bomb to the Fane Valley Co-operative building was hijacked in Northern Ireland shortly before the attack took place.
Although much has been done to seek to reduce the level of terrorist activity in the border region the Government remain concerned at the security situation there, and measures are in hand on both sides of the border designed to bring about further improvements in the situation.