Police investigate security breach around Biden’s visit after ‘sensitive’ document found in Belfast

Police are urgently investigating after a document containing top secret details on President Joe Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland was found by a member of the public on a Belfast street.

Dozens of officers could have been put at risk after the discovery of the document, which is said to have included a detailed itinerary of the US President’s trip and the $8.7 million security operation surrounding it.

While no personal details relating to the President or his dignitaries were disclosed in the Police Service of Northern Ireland paper, it reportedly included the names of all PSNI officers involved today’s operation.

It also included the phone numbers and addresses of top PSNI officers, BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show reported.

Biden’s visit to the country to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement has been awash with security concerns – with violence towards the police and suspected bombs discovered this week. 

The document’s discovery today came prior to President Biden’s address at Ulster University

More than 300 officers from the rest of the UK have been drafted in to support the PSNI’s operations around the major event. 

While the President’s trip was designed to celebrate Good Friday Agreement that helped bring peace to the island 25 years ago, there have been worrying reminders over recent days of threats that once dominated life in Belfast.

The latest security concerns today came as video footage showed secret service operatives patrolling with sniffer dogs outside the hotel where Biden was staying overnight. 

Yesterday, the PSNI said they discovered four suspected pipe bombs at a cemetery in Derry, with dramatic images showing bomb disposal units moving in.

And on Easter Monday, gasoline bombs were thrown at police during parades amid fears of more violent activity from dissident republicans.

A number of missiles were hurled by young people wearing tracksuits and masks on their faces at a PSNI Land Rover monitoring the parade in the Creggan area of the city. 

The terror threat level in the region was raised from substantial to severe last month.

The heightening of the threat level came following a gun attack in County Tyrone on senior detective John Caldwell. 

Police have said that the New IRA were behind the attack, which saw DCI Caldwell gunned down in front of his son in a leisure center car park. He remains in hospital.

Police recovered four suspected pipe bombs (pictured) from a cemetery in Londonderry where a republican commemoration was staged on Easter Monday

A huge Irish tricolour flag and the slogan ‘NO 2 NATO’ is displayed on the side of Black Mountain which overlooks Belfast

The document’s discovery today came prior to Biden’s address at Ulster University, which he used to reflect on the importance of the agreement in maintaining peace in Northern Ireland.

The President said during his speech that the response of Northern Ireland’s political leaders to the shooting of DCI Caldwell showed ‘the enemies of peace will not prevail’.

‘Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God.

‘The attack was a hard reminder there will always be those who seek to destroy, rather than rebuild.

The latest security concerns today came as video footage showed secret service operatives patrolling with sniffer dogs

Police officers stand guard outside the Grand Central Hotel, where President Joe Biden has been staying during his visit

‘But the lesson of the Good Friday Agreement is this: at times when things seem fragile or easily broken, that is when hope and hard work are needed the most.’

A police spokesman said regarding the situation today: ‘We are aware of a security breach.

‘An investigation has commenced and we have notified the Senior Information Risk Officer.

‘We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff extremely seriously and will put the appropriate actions in place.’