Police are investigating a possible security breach surrounding Joe Biden’s visit to Belfast after ‘officially sensitive’ documents were found on the street by a member of the public
- It is believed to be related to arrangements around the US president’s hotel
- More than 300 additional officers were sent to Belfast ahead of Biden’s visit
Police were investigating a possible security breach surrounding Joe Biden’s visit to Belfast last night after a member of the public found sensitive documents on the street.
The operational notes were marked ‘officially sensitive’, the lowest safety rating in the UK.
It is believed to be related to arrangements around the US president’s hotel, the Grand Central in the center of the Northern Ireland capital.
The investigation comes amid heightened security concerns surrounding Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Ahead of Mr Biden’s brief visit, more than 300 additional officers from across the UK were deployed to form a ring of steel around Belfast, at a cost of at least £7 million.
The inquiry comes amid heightened security measures surrounding Mr Biden’s (pictured) visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
A redacted version of the document, which BBC Radio Ulster said was sent to them by a listener, suggested it was possible to see the names of individual officers, their call signs and where they had been deployed.
The five-page document reportedly contained no personal details about the president, his officials or those of other dignitaries involved in the visit.
Northern Ireland Police are now investigating the extent of a security breach.
A PSNI spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of a security breach [and] an investigation has started.
“We take the safety of visiting dignitaries, members of the public and our officers and staff very seriously and will take appropriate action.”
The president’s visit sparked the largest police operation in Northern Ireland since the G8 summit a decade ago.