SRR Set For Northern Ireland Mission
15.09.2015
Members of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR) are to be deployed on security operations in Northern Ireland, a British newspaper has reported. [1]
According to the Express, around 50 soldiers from the elite undercover unit are set to provide support to Police. The move comes amidst growing political tension in the country. The report claims that the SRR soldiers will mostly be operating in Anderstown area, a Republican stronghold in West Belfast.
The SRR - which recruits both men and women - specialises in surveillance operations, including tailing suspected terrorists in vehicles and on foot. They work undercover, in plainclothes and unmarked cars.
The SRR grew out of 14 Intelligence Company (14 INT), a special forces unit that operated in Northern Ireland during the troubles and in the Balkans in the 90s. The SRR was created in 2005 and took over 14 INT's role. Thought to be manned by around 150 personnel, the SRR has been deployed on operations Afghanistan and Iraq. It is believed that the SRR has provided support to domestic security operations such as protecting the 2012 Olympics.
A small number of SRR soldiers have carried out operations in Northern Ireland. For example, in April 2009, SRR soldiers tracked terrorist suspect in an operation that, led to their arrest before they could carry out an attack. This story was the first indication that the SRR was operating in Northern Ireland. Their assistance was said to have been requested by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to counter threats to Policemen in County Fermanagh.[2] The unit was also involved in the arrest in Scotland of a man suspected of a car bomb attack in Omagh.[3]
More info / further reading:
- 1. Special Forces going to Ulster in IRA crisis
(the Express)
- 2. Three released over police attack
(the BBC)
- 3. Elite special forces led Scots swoop on Ronan Kerr murder suspect
(Daily Record)
