Police ‘disrupt New IRA plot’ ahead of Biden visit to Northern Ireland

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Police in Northern Ireland have reportedly disrupted an IRA bomb plot ahead of Joe Biden’s visit to Belfast on Tuesday. “The belief is that the New IRA was planning some sort of attack to coincide with Biden’s visit, similar to the mortar attack on the cops in Strabane last November.” A republican source also told the newspaper that Thomas Mellon, the leader of the New IRA, demanded a “spectacular” way to eclipse Mr Biden’s visit. President Biden will arrive in Belfast on Tuesday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, the historic deal which largely ended decades of conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles. A major security operation is underway for Mr Biden’s visit during which he will also visit Dublin and meet Irish premier Leo Varadkar and Irish president Michael D Higgins.