Documents containing sensitive details about President Biden’s overseas trip were found on the streets of Belfast on Wednesday, prompting an investigation by police officials in Northern Ireland.
A passerby discovered the five-page document which detailed where Mr. Biden was staying in Northern Ireland and cell phone numbers for police officers in the president’s security detail. The person who made the rare find then called a BBC station to report it.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland later confirmed the security breach.
“We are aware of a security breach,” PSNI officials said in a statement, which was first reported by the Irish Examiner. “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.”
Police officials were on high alert for Mr. Biden’s visit marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. That U.S.-backed pact forged peace between Northern Ireland’s pro-independence Catholic movement and the Protestant British loyalists who wanted to remain part of the U.K.
Mr. Biden traveled to Belfast Tuesday where he was greeted by U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The visit sparked a large-scale security operation involving more than 300 officers.
Over the weekend, officials in Northern Ireland reportedly foiled a terrorist bomb plot meant to derail Mr. Biden’s visit to Belfast.
Mr. Biden’s visit to the city went without incident before departing for Dublin on Wednesday.
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
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