It is difficult to understand what the bombers who tried to kill a prison officer in east Belfast yesterday morning thought would be achieved by this man's death.
Murder does not advance any cause but it does inflict terrible suffering on a family, a pain that never leaves as we know from the experiences of thousands of victims over the past four decades.
It defies all logic that some evil individuals want to add to the list of the dead and bereaved after all we have been through.
Thankfully, the dissidents failed in their bid to kill a member of the prison service yesterday. As it was, the 52-year-old father of three suffered serious injuries after a device exploded under the van he was driving shortly after 7am in Hillsborough Drive just off the Woodstock Road.
The victim's condition in hospital is said to be stable and while he was fortunate to survive this deliberate and cold-blooded attempt on his life, this traumatic attack will surely have profound and long-lasting effects.
It is disturbing to think that some individuals targeted this man, watched his movements, made a booby trap bomb and attached it in the dead of night to a vehicle knowing it would kill or maim their unsuspecting victim.
Such an operation requires people who are not only ruthless, but cruel, wicked and without conscience.
While police regularly warn the threat from dissidents remains high, these groups have not appeared to be as active in recent months or able to mount significant operations.
This may be down to better intelligence on the part of the security forces but the fact that violent republicans have been able to penetrate the heart of unionist east Belfast and almost kill a prison officer is clearly a major concern.
Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Martin said the threat from dissidents is now being categorised as ``the upper end of severe'' which suggests further attacks are expected.
Specifically, Mr Martin said there were people in the dissident groups who wanted to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising ``by killing police officers, prison officers and soldiers.''
There is something particularly twisted about someone planning to mark a significant date in Ireland's bloody history by creating further bloodshed.
It is clear that everyone must be extremely vigilant in the weeks ahead. The threat from dissidents is not just against police and prison staff but against the entire community.
It is absolutely vital that any suspicious activity is reported to the PSNI while any information about these murderous groups needs to be passed on to ensure they do not take another life.
