It is no secret, however, that the SAS carries out operations in Northern Ireland. Because of this, the Irish Republican Army has become very cautious and has amplified security everywhere that it operates. If the IRA has even the slightest suspicion that they are being watched, they will take no chances. They may set up a roadblock if your car seems suspicious or even monitor you and anyone that you associate with. For this reason, operations in this particular area have to be executed with extreme prudence. As one ex-SAS member, known as "Soldier X-, writes:.
For my first introductory recce, I was teamed with "Paul-. He had been working in Ireland on and off for around two years, and was coming to the end of his last tour. He was a very experienced operator, and knew Belfast like the back of his hand. He told me that PIRA have dickers (scouts) all over the catholic areas of Belfast, and for me to be able to carry out surveillance without being compromised, I would need to learn how to blend in with the locals. The slightest mistake on my part, driving too slow, staring at a house or player for too long, driving down the same street twice, and the dickers would spot me and I would be compromised. (Soldier X in N.I).
The incident which received the most attention with regards to the SAS operations in Northern Ireland was the Gibraltar shootings, in which SAS operatives shot and killed several IRA members suspected of attempting to plant a car bomb on March 6, 1988. The European Court of Human Rights declared the shooting of the three IRA members unlawful, but did accept that the SAS operatives truly believed that the IRA members posed a threat and felt that is was necessary to shoot them (Unlawful killing: death on the rock). This incident, however, only gave support to Northern Ireland in the eyes of the international community. While the SAS still carries out surveillance operations in Ireland, it has also been involved in more "combat-oriented- situations, most of which are presently occurring in the Middle East.