Police in Belfast, Ireland foiled a bomb plot at the studios of Game of Thrones on Monday after a dissident plot to target ex-security force members working on the TV show was uncovered.
Belfasttelegraph.co.uk report:
Republican terrorists planned to leave a bomb next to a catering unit at the Paint Hall Titanic Studios where former cops, who were working on the set of the hit HBO show, were gathering for meals.
Sunday Life has seen security documents that reveal the conspiracy was foiled after a tip-off from an informant.
Details were passed by an agent to an ex-police officer, who immediately contacted DUP East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson.
The politician then informed PSNI chiefs who quickly put in a place a sophisticated operation to protect personnel at the site.
Mr Wilson declined to comment when approached by this newspaper, but we can confirm that the threat was so serious PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Drew Harris was briefed.
The terrorists were tipped off that a number of ex-security force personnel had been working on the site where hit TV show was being filmed at the time. It is understood the bomb plot was disrupted several months ago but kept secret.
When the informant passed on details of the threat, security around the Paint Hall was visibly increased, forcing the dissidents to abandon the attack.
A police source, with knowledge of the Game of Thrones bomb bid, told Sunday Life: “The dissidents initially got word that a number of ex-RUC and army personnel worked at the studios.
“They were even told the exact job in which most of them were employed and the catering unit where they took their lunch and tea at the same time every day.”
The insider claimed the dissidents planned to place a bomb made up of fertiliser with a Semtex booster inside a wheeled bin which would be left next to the catering unit.
But a long-standing agent within the republican gang tipped-off his old RUC handler leading to a massive police counter-operation.
“Security around the Paint Hall was visibly increased and because of this the dissidents never went ahead with the plan,” added our source.
The dissident group behind the Game of Thrones threat is not identified in the security force documents seen by this newspaper.
However the papers do make mention of the “threat to life involving ex-members of the police and security forces working at Game of Thrones”. The document also adds: “It cannot be emphasised enough the importance of this information.”
In the wake of the failed bomb bid, all ex-police officers and soldiers who have connections to the Paint Hall were told to increase their personal security.
Thousands of people from across Northern Ireland have been employed at the Paint Hall in all manner of trades, from acting to electronic production, and set building to security.
Game of Thrones — which is currently the world’s biggest TV show — is filmed there along with movies that have included Your Highness starring Oscar winner Natalie Portman.
Detectives believe that among this multitude of workers were a handful of dissident republicans, who told their terror gang’s leadership that a number of former security force personnel were on site.
These same dissidents monitored the movements of the ex-cops and soldiers and noticed how they converged on a regular basis next to a catering unit at meal times.
Checks are also believed to have been made on the identities of their targets using an internet site which listed the name of every person who had ever worked on Game of Thrones.
A spokeswoman for Northern Ireland Screen, which manages the Paint Hall Titanic Studios, declined to comment.
Details of the plot come just weeks after an MI5 undercover operation against the Continuity IRA recorded suspects plotting to kill judges, PSNI officers and to carry out strikes on Policing Board meetings.
At one point they are also alleged to have discussed an attack on the Open golf championship.
Sean Adl-Tabatabai
Be the first to comment