Dissident threat 'worst in years'

Tommy McKearney, a former life-sentence IRA prisoner, speaks to the BBC's Mark Simpson about dissident groups

The Independent Monitoring Commission is expected to report that dissident republican activity in NI is at its highest level for nearly six years.

The body, which is responsible for monitoring paramilitary activity, will deliver its 22nd report on Wednesday.

The latest report covers the period from 1 March until the end of August.

Dissident republican paramilitaries were responsible for murdering three members of the security forces during that time.

On 7 March, the Real IRA murdered sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21, at Massereene Army base in Antrim.

Two days later the Continuity IRA shot PSNI Constable Stephen Paul Carroll in Craigavon, County Armagh.

'Disturbing'

The IMC's last report in May said that although dissident republicans remained highly dangerous, they were not able to mount a substantial terrorist campaign.

Although that report concentrated on paramilitary activity in the six months prior to those killings, it did comment on the political impact of the murders.

Wednesday's report is expected to examine them in much more detail.

BBC Newsnight report on the increase in dissident activity

Since then there have been 11 attempts to kill other PSNI officers in Northern Ireland.

Last week, BBC Newsnight reporter Liz MacKean said she understood the IMC's latest report "would find the recent increase in terrorist activity deeply disturbing".

The Independent Monitoring Commission was set up by the British and Irish governments in January 2004.

Its report on Tuesday is also expected to give an assessment of progress by loyalist paramilitaries in decommissioning their weapons.