July 29, 2008: British counter-terrorism officials believe that Irish terrorists (splinter groups of the IRA, or Irish Republican Army) in Northern Ireland are currently more of a terrorist threat than Islamic radicals. The Irish terror groups are planning violence in an effort to disrupt the peace deal that was worked out in Northern Ireland, between the Catholic and Protestant communities. British intelligence believes that about 80 Irish terrorists are planning attacks.

Although there are more potential Islamic terrorists, their planning activity has declined, largely as a result of many arrests, and failed attacks, as well as the recent al Qaeda defeat in Iraq. Islamic terrorism has also become less popular in Moslem nations over the past few years, and is less fashionable among young Moslems in Britain. The threat of Islamic terrorism is still there, but British intelligence simply believes that the Irish terrorists are trying hard to get something going again.