Potential IRA 'threat' looms large over 2012 Olympics

London, Feb 5(ANI): The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is reportedly planning to carry out major terror attacks during the Olympics and Jubilee celebrations in Britain.

IRA is deemed as a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom and according to a senior member of the outfit more than a hundred IRA activists have already entered mainland Britain and can cause havoc at the games through bombing campaigns.

"Nothing can be ruled out when it comes to big events like these," said a member of Continuity IRA.

The member said as long as the British security services continue their policies in Ireland they will keep on fighting.

"The British security services are perfectly right to protect against the threat of an attack because as long as they continue their policies in Ireland there will always be somebody willing to stand up and fight back," the member added.

According to the member, IRA has built a strong following in London and Scotland, the Sunday Express reported.

"Our numbers go up and down all the time but we are building a strong following in London and in other parts of the country including Scotland," the member said.

The security forces have been alarmed by the possibility that IRA might have learned from the tactics of Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, and will increase the size of their Improvised Explosive Devices.

IRA insiders have claimed that they are quite angry over plans to bring the Olympic torch to Northern Ireland.

On a Republican Internet forum hardliners have bragged about plans to kidnap the torch during its tour of the province.

Meanwhile, a Metropolitan police spokesman has admitted that IRA terrorists definitely pose a strong threat to the games.

"The threat to Great Britain from Irish-related terrorism was raised in September 2010 from moderate to substantial, meaning an attack is a strong possibility," the spokesman said.

"All of our planning is being done to a severe level of threat, which allows for flexibility to respond should the threat level change," he added. (ANI)