The attempt to kill a prison officer appears to be linked to ongoing tensions between republican inmates and management at Maghaberry Prison.
Republicans say that prison chiefs have reneged on a 2010 deal to end strip searches and controlled movement within the high security prison.
Around 30 republican prisoners are currently housed on separated landings within the prison’s Roe House block.
Roe Four landing is home to prisoners aligned to the ‘IRA’, while inmates held on Roe Three are linked to the Continuity IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann.
During the Troubles 30 prison officers were killed mostly during republican campaigns for political status.
In 2012 republicans ended a no-wash protest weeks after prison officer David Black was shot dead by the ‘IRA' as he travelled along the M1 Motorway while on his way to work.
In a statement to The Irish News the group later said it killed the 52-year-old in "direct response" to tensions within the jail.
At the time the group said: “While the IRA never takes this type of action lightly, the IRA has a responsibility to protect and defend republican POWs."
In 2014 the ‘IRA’ said it sent two letter bombs addressed to prison officers at Maghaberry jail and warned of further attacks. And there were several violent clashes last year after prisoners claimed that their movements were restricted during building work carried out without consultation.
In 2014 a stocktake was carried by an independent assessment team to examine the failed 2010 deal.
After initially saying they would give the review a "fair wind" republican inmates later said the review had been "sabotaged".
A prison forum chaired by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also failed to reach agreement last year.
The ICRC had agreed to independently chair the forum, which was recommended by the independent stocktake, after being asked by justice minister David Ford.
In a statement republican prisoners on Roe Four said the process ended after prison managed refused to "accept basic proposals from the ICRC independent chair."
The Northern Ireland Prison Service said it "remains committed to implementing the recommendations from the stocktake report."
