Document ‘from PSNI data leak’ posted on Belfast wall alongside threat
A document purportedly from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) data leak has appeared on a wall in Belfast alongside a threatening message.
The document, which had the names of police officers redacted, was posted overnight beside a Sinn Féin office on Falls Road, suggesting dissident republicans had obtained material from last week’s data breach, Gerry Kelly, the party’s policing spokesperson, said on Monday.
A photo of Kelly was posted alongside the document and the threat. “This is a very obvious attempt by dissident republicans to intimidate me,” said Kelly, a member of the Stormont assembly.
“Even more sinister, this is a very public indication that the dissidents do have access to the sensitive information in the data leak document. It therefore represents a very real threat to the officers, and the civilian staff involved.”
Kelly said he had reported the incident to the PSNI and urged anyone with information to come forward.
“Sinn Féin represents the vast majority of people in the nationalist community and we will certainly not be intimidated by dissident groups who have virtually no support and who offer nothing but disruption and threats in an attempt to make themselves relevant,” he said.
Chris Todd, an assistant chief constable, said the force was investigating the posting of alleged information from the data breach.
“From the outset we have been planning for this potential development and that plan is now being put into place. We recognise the impact this may have on our officers, staff and their families and additional security and reassurance patrols have already been implemented across Northern Ireland as part of our organisational response.”
The force has apologised for “systemic” failures that led to the names, rank and departments of more than 10,000 officers and staff appearing briefly online on 8 August.
There was an earlier data breach on 6 July when a police-issue laptop and documents identifying 200 officers and staff were stolen from a private vehicle. They were notified on 4 August, a time lag that has fuelled criticism of the force’s response to the leaks.
Police representatives fear the crisis will especially hit recruitment of Catholics, who are deemed most vulnerable to paramilitary attack.
“For 18 years I’ve relied on my family to help me protect my identity,” an officer from nationalist background said in a letter to the Guardian. “I’ve denied myself a social life, and gave up sports I loved. I can’t stay in touch with old friends on social media as I need to avoid the footprint. Now this is all taken away at the click of a button.”
About 3,000 officers have contacted the Police Federation, which represents officers, about a potential damages case. Lawyers have estimated the eventual bill will be tens of millions of pounds.
Nearly 2,000 officers and support staff have expressed personal security concerns because of the leaks.
Simon Byrne, the PSNI chief constable, last week said dissident republicans had made an unverified claim to have obtained data from what he termed the “industrial-scale” leak.
The errors have gifted republican paramilitaries such as the New IRA a powerful tool to intimidate, demoralise and target officers and their families for years to come, according to security experts.
Dissident groups have staged sporadic attacks in Northern Ireland over the past decade, including shooting and wounding DCI John Caldwell in February.