Campbell worried jihadiscould use border to attack

He asked Home Secretary Theresa May what level of co-operation there has been between the authorities either side of the border.

Mr Campbell made the comments whilst condoling with the victims of the Brussels terror attacks on March 22.

“I wish to stand with the Home Secretary, and the people of Northern Ireland will wish to stand with the people of Belgium at this time, given that we endured three decades of this type of terror,” said Mr Campbell.

“The Home Secretary referred to Adrian Ismay who was murdered last week, and she will know about the necessity of cross-border co-operation on the only land border between the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic,” he continued.

“What levels of increased co-operation will there be to prevent any further ingress by international terrorists who may use the Irish Republic as a base from which to launch attacks on the United Kingdom?” asked Mr Campbell.

The Home Secretary said the Government uses “security measures relating to cross-border arrangements between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland” but confirmed that it also talks to Dublin about joint measures.

“We are working closely with the Irish Government to look at areas where it is possible for us to work more closely to enhance our collective security across Ireland and the United Kingdom,” she said.

“We are able to use security measures relating to cross-border arrangements between the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and other parts of the United Kingdom to help with that security, but we talk to the Irish Government about how ​we can enhance our co-operation to ensure we keep both the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom as safe and secure as we can,” said the Minister.

Referring to recent terror attacks and attempted terror attacks on Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in Paris, a synagogue and a cafe in Copenhagen, a Thalys train en route to Paris, the November attacks on Paris, attacks in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, Egypt and Tunisia, and the recent attacks in Brussels, she also referred to the attack on Adrian Ismay in East Belfast.

“There continues to be a threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism. The murder of prison officer Adrian Ismay, who died on March 15 is a stark reminder of the many forms of terrorism we face,” said the Home Secretary.