Murders In Northern Ireland Stoking Tensions

A Police Service of Northern Ireland officer aims his rifle as he takes up position near Lismore Manor, Craigavon, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, March 10, 2009. Gunmen hunting British security forces in Northern Ireland struck again Monday, killing a police officer less than 48 hours after Irish Republican Army dissidents killed two British soldiers _ and fanning fears of a return to tit-for-tat violence after years of fragile peace. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

N.Ireland Leaders Pledge Unity After Third Killing -- Yahoo News/AP

BELFAST, Northern Ireland – The Catholic and Protestant leaders of Northern Ireland's coalition government jointly pledged to crush Irish Republican Army dissidents in an exceptional show of unity Tuesday after the third killing in two days claimed by an IRA splinter group.

The Continuity IRA said in a message to Belfast media that it carried out the fatal shooting of a policeman Monday night in a religiously divided town southwest of Belfast — 48 hours after the killing of two British soldiers claimed by the Real IRA. The killings appeared designed to undermine the unity government as its leaders prepared to leave for a high-profile U.S. tour capped by their first meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House on St. Patrick's Day, March 17.

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More News On Northern Ireland

N.Ireland faces 'abyss' after new killing -- AFP
Police officer killed in Northern Ireland was shot from behind -- Times Online
Police Officer Shot Dead in Northern Ireland Attack -- The Times
Police Officer Fatally Shot Near Belfast -- Associated Press
Continuity IRA claims responsibility for Northern Ireland police murder -- The Telegraph
Irish republican group claims new N.Ireland killing -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Sinn Fein: Just Enough to Damn Killings -- The Australian
Hunt for Soldiers' Killers Overshadows N. Ireland -- Associated Press
Background: Police in Northern Ireland -- The Guardian
FACTBOX: Dissident Irish republican dissident groups -- Reuters
The Security Trap -- The Times editorial
Dangerous Situation in Northern Ireland -- Daily Telegraph editorial
Northern Ireland's silent majority must speak out -- Times Online
‘A Futile Act’ -- New York Times editorial
Real IRA: Northern Ireland's deadly dissenters -- Real Clear politics
It's Not that the Troubles are Back, They Never Left -- Daily Telegraph opinion
Is the peace process derailed? -- The Guardian
They've Missed the Pleasure of Hating -- The Times opinion
Sinn Fein's Discomfiting Rite of Passage - Daily Telegraph opinion