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Police in Northern Ireland have been put on full alert amid fears of an Easter offensive by dissident republicans - as former members of the Provisional IRA claimed they planted the car bomb that killed police officer Ronan Kerr.
Three weeks after the murder of Constable Kerr, officers said terrorist groups could be planning further attacks on the security forces in coming days and weeks.
The warning came as three "significant" arrests were made in South Armagh in relation to dissident republican activity. The men were held as part of a security operation which also involved police in the Republic.
A police spokesman urged vigilence over Easter and said: "Dissident terrorist groups are continuing to identify officers and target them with the single objective of killing them. And in so doing, their reckless actions will also put the lives of our wider communities at risk."
Constable Kerr, 25, died earlier this month when a booby trap bomb exploded under his car in Omagh, Co Tyrone.
In a statement obtained by the Belfast Telegraph newspaper, a group of ex-Provisionals said they were responsible for what they described as the "execution".
They vowed to continue the IRA's campaign of violence until the end of "British occupation" and the unification of Ireland.
"The will of Irish republicans to resist the forced occupation and partitioning of our country has not been defeated," they said.
"Irish republicans have continued to organise against the British presence in our country. We continue to do so under the name of the Irish Republican Army. We are the IRA."
A 33-year-old man has been charged with terrorism offences by police investigating the murder of Constable Kerr.
The suspect is due to appear at Dungannon Magistrates Court, Tyrone, on Saturday.
He is accused of possession of firearms and explosives with the intent to endanger life and possession of articles likely to be of use in terrorism.
Two other suspects were released earlier this week.
The paramilitaries' statement was reportedly shown to the Belfast Telegraph at a meeting with a representative of the paramilitary organisation's 'chief of staff'.
It was signed "chief of staff, Irish Republican Army".
The newspaper said the bulk of the group's members were believed to be seasoned Provisional activists, aged from the late 30s to 50s, who were heavily involved in the previous IRA campaign.
Suzanne Breen, the security reporter for the Belfast Telegraph, said: "They bring a deadly expertise in paramilitary attacks.
"They present a greatest threat probably, a greater threat than any of the existing dissident organisations because they have been until very recently involved with the Provisional IRA."
The group said it was entirely separate from the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA but was "committed to working with other republicans".
They said they had been involved in other attacks over the past two years, including the murder of two British soldiers at Massereene Army base which was claimed by the Real IRA.
SKYNEWS
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