There is a "strong possibility" that dissident republicans will carry out attacks in the run-up to Christmas, a senior police chief has warned.
Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said violence from such groups posed a "severe threat" in Northern Ireland.
"They are dangerous, they could do real harm and we will be working extremely hard over Christmas to tackle this threat," he said.
ACC Kerr was speaking at a news conference in Belfast on Monday.
"There is a strong possibility that violent dissident republicans will attempt to carry out attacks," he said, adding that the decision to hold the conference and appeal to the public for help was an indication of how concerned police are.
He appealed to people to be vigilant in spotting any suspicious objects when out shopping; to be patient as police officers worked to secure areas and to pass on information to the police.
Last year, dissident republicans carried out a number of attacks in Belfast in the run-up to Christmas.
A small bomb exploded in the city's busy Cathedral Quarter district, and in a separate incident, a man set himself alight inside a shop when the device he was carrying seemingly ignited prematurely inside his jacket.
There was an attempted car bomb attack close to the entrance of Victoria Square shopping centre.
Gunmen also opened fire on a passing police patrol in the Crumlin Road in the north of the city.
Dissident threat severe warn police
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