The police service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) reported mortars were "primed and ready to go" as they intercepted and prevented a planned attack in Londonderry by dissident republican members of the 'New IRA' organisation on 4 March. The roof section of the van involved in the foiled plot had been cut away and camouflaged in order to allow unimpeded firing in a style of mortar attack that bares similarities to the tactics that were used by the now-disbanded Provisional IRA (PIRA) during the Troubles. To date, dissidents have not matched the PIRA's level of improvised weaponry and engineering. According to police, the devices found on 4 March were "crude home-made" devices, which were limited in both accuracy and range. Nevertheless, the tactic does mark a "step-up in technical ability".
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