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Bomb plot foiled on the set of Game of Thrones

Posted on by Sue the Fury

Titanic

The set of Game of Thrones was the target of a foiled bomb plot, according to The Belfast Telegraph. The paper reports that the plot took place “several months ago” but was kept secret until exposed recently by the Telegraph‘s sister paper, Sunday Life.

Reportedly, the terrorists conspired to leave a bomb by a catering unit in Paint Hall at Titanic Studios. The motivation for the attempt is understood to be the studios’ hiring of former police officers to work security on Game of Thrones. The security personnel were expected to gather in this particular catering area.

The plot was foiled by an informant who alerted the authorities. Subsequently, security was beefed up at Titanic Studios and a plan was put into place to protect people working at the location.

“Security around the Paint Hall was visibly increased and because of this the dissidents never went ahead with the plan,” says a source to the Belfast Telegraph.

Sunday Life exposed the bomb conspiracy to the public after uncovering security documents with tip-offs from their own sources.

For more details on the plot, visit The Belfast Telegraph.

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Sue the Fury
Susan Miller, Editor in Chief of WatchersOnTheWall.com

110 Comments

  3. That’s what you get for making Melisandre’s eyes grey and cutting the battle on the fist of first men.

  4. When I read “Bomb plot foiled”, the first thing I thought about was that there was a major plot leak or something (I wish). Glad nobody got injured!

  7. Crazy. Absolutely crazy.

    Here are two predictions based on how this story will be reported/commented upon:

    1) The press will sensationalize this like crazy.
    2) Jaded “purists” (Linda Antonsson among them, I suspect) will say OUTLANDISH things about this.

  8. Jesus. I’m glad that they caught this thing early on in the planning stages and that no one wound up being hurt. It could have been much worse.

    People have made jokes about the increased security surrounding the production this year, but it sounds like it was in place for a damn good reason. I’m surprised that they managed to keep the news under wraps for this long, but Greenjones is right – now that this story is out in the open, the worst media outlets are going to latch on to it like vultures. Still, better that they get empty clicks over a foiled plot that ultimately didn’t amount to anything rather than lurid rubbernecking over an actual tragedy.

  10. Bogden,

    Yeah, that would’ve created quite the shitstorm. It still will, I think, but significantly less of one than there would’ve been.

  11. The people posting here seem to have zero reading comprehension skills. The motivation of the attack had nothing to do with the show or the books themselves. The culprit seemed to be upset at the officers working security

  13. Ross,

    It’s their base of operations so I doubt it. They must have considered this sort of thing as a possibility before they decided to shoot there. Things are WAY better there than they were in past decades of course, but they likely still took into account that this sort of risk would exist. Especially now that they’re the production’s considered as being important to the NI economy and that the Queen visited the set.

  15. This has Nothing to do with book vs. show purists. This was about people being willing to kill other people for their former profession.

    “The motivation for the attempt is understood to be the studios’ hiring of former police officers to work security on Game of Thrones.”

    Don’t make light of this serious situation. Don’t try to put it off as ‘silly book purists being upset about the adaptation’. It’s bigger than that.

  16. I wouldn’t put it past some crazy fans to attempt it. When you get a fandom as big as this one there’s always some hardcore lunatics. Obviously it’s not what happened in this case.

  17. Lex,

    Whether or not their joke was funny is debatable. But if you honestly believe Loki thinks people deserve to die for the show’s content, I wish you good luck and Godspeed in your journey through this crazy world. It’s going to be a bumpy ride for you.

  20. It seems like the Belfast security team did their job well. Kudos to the concerned citizen (“informant”). Vigilance at its finest.

  21. wtf?!! Will never be able to identify with these folks that use their causes to perpetuate violence.

  22. Turncloak: The people posting here seem to have zero reading comprehension skills. The motivation of the attack had nothing to do with the show or the books themselves. The culprit seemed to be upset at the officers working security

    They are fully aware of that. People are making jokes. Not ones in good taste, I will grant you, but jokes they are.

  23. Turncloak:
    The people posting here seem to have zero reading comprehension skills. The motivation of the attack had nothing to do with the show or the books themselves. The culprit seemed to be upset at the officers working security

    I think that were simply jokes. Good or bad depending on your experience, but just attempts to dedramatize the situation.

    Personally I’m glad they didnt tell us at the time and hope it wont create a shitstorm.
    One could argue that there is no bad publicity but it would bother me if the medias make way too much out of this. GoT doesnt need that kind of promotion, it’s enough in itself.

  28. Well said.

    Cumsprite:
    Lex,

    Whether or not their joke was funny is debatable. But if you honestly believe Loki thinks people deserve to die for the show’s content, I wish you good luck and Godspeed in your journey through this crazy world. It’s going to be a bumpy ride for you.

    Cumsprite:
    Lex,

    Whether or not their joke was funny is debatable. But if you honestly believe Loki thinks people deserve to die for the show’s content, I wish you good luck and Godspeed in your journey through this crazy world. It’s going to be a bumpy ride for you.

  34. “Terror as a means to an end.” It is this idea that must die..
    So says I.

    The North Remembers…

  35. When i read this stuff about bombs and puritans i thought they were pushing the show from the 15th century wars of the roses to the baroque english civil war. Lol

  48. Drogon before Daznak’s? Tommen surrounded by the Faith Militant? Yikes!!! I know nothing!

    Tyrion glancing up at a flying dragon was so fucking cool though!!!

  50. Seven Hells, that trailer was incredible! Better than the first!

    You can watch it at the following link. https://twitter.com/iTunesTV/status/574981199099076608. But fair warning – it will only play on an Apple device. I tried to watch it on my Windows laptop, and was rebuffed. I switched over to my iPad, and was able to watch it.

    EDIT: Actually, Bogden says, you can watch it on a PC if you just hit play on the embedded video rather than following the link to the iTunes page.

    I’ll try and provide the highlights if someone else doesn’t beat me to it. I have to watch it again, first, however.

  52. Yeah, that was a fantastic trailer. There was a sustained “WOOO!!!” on my part when they announced it was about to play. Good length, solid music (in that I wasn’t paying attention to it, but it wasn’t distracting), lots of new shots.

    It covered everything, but Dani got an extended voiceover of the wheel quote.

  53. Jared,

    I just watched it on my PC – click the play button on the Twitter video rather than going to the apple link.

  54. A girl does not understand , what’s the problem with hiring former police officers as guards ? why did they got angry ?

  57. There’s a lot to digest. Sansa in the crypts? Brienne in snow? Who is the woman with dark hair surrounded by Meereenese? Are those Vale soldiers fighting Brienne over Pod? Selyse upset lends one frequent speculation proof, though she’d have to be suddenly upset about her child being sacrificed, I guess that doesn’t make sense.

  58. This is absolutely appalling and hideous. I hope they do not reconsider Belfast as a location, although I would not blame them if they did.

    On a side note, as bad as taste that this may seem, but I guess someone took Valar Morghulis to a whole new level.

  59. In my excitement over the trailer, I temporarily overlooked how tasteless it is to be geeking out over the new trailer in this particular thread. My sincere apologies. Let’s move it to the comments of a different article, shall we? Hopefully Sue can get an official post up soon.

  60. Lady Nym,

    Northern Ireland (where I live) is a stupid stupid place. There is a lot of sectarian hate. You could read up on The Troubles of Northern Ireland – a lot of stuff happened.

  61. Maybe they meant Missandei’s ass because in the words of Grey Worm
    “Daaah sheet is dee bomb!”

  63. I don’t think it’s tasteless to geek out over the trailer. I’d rather do so than consider the idea of people on Game of Thrones dying, for real, at length. It’s a happy story that the plot was foiled.

    First shot of Long Bridge, Tormund definitely goes to Hardhome. Also a trial with Loras and Olyvar, presided over by the High Sparrow.

  65. Lady Nym:
    A girl does not understand , what’s the problem with hiring former police officers as guards ? why did they got angry ?

    The IRA folks don’t like the police service of NI.

  66. Sansa in Winterfell confirmed y’all. You can send apologies to me in this thread or in the upcoming trailer thread, whatever’s easiest for you.

  68. shhhhhhhhhhhhit the second trailer is OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT AND ITS CRAAAAAAAAAZY

  70. Volantis bridge looks incredible! Love Dany’s wheel monologue! Way too much to digest…. someone get screencapping/analysing!

  72. The “I’m going to break the wheel” line sounds far more badass when given the full context of Dany’s speech. That was very good.

  73. Felt Pelt,

    Oh, I’m geeking out right there with you! And no one was hurt in this particular failed plot, so I’m sure it’s fine. I was merely suggesting that maybe we should move this over to Synopses comment section until one of the mods can make an official trailer post – out of an abundance of caution. But if everyone else is fine with discussing it here, then so am I.

  76. Rygar,

    Many of us already knew that. I think you’ll find there were a number of holdouts who won’t be able to deny it any longer.

  78. King Tommen,

    You were right. I am sorry. I said the same to AdmiralKyrd, whose postimg started this whole line of spec.

    There just wasn’t enough evidence to my mind at that point but plainly you thought there was and were right.

  80. i made a sandwich and I was about to watch the walking dead ep when I saw the trailer and and now Ilist all my senses T_______T

    did you see dany and drogon epic scene ?????????????????????ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  81. Greenjones,

    Thanks. I was joking when I said I needed an apology but I appreciate you bothering to. I’m glad we’re in lockstep now as it felt weird pushing back so hard against some of the best posters here on something I really felt we had enough evidence to go with.

    Now on to the “is she there to marry someone or not” speculation!!!!

  82. Maybe Drogon only flies Dany to the pyramid rather than the Dothraki sea? Either that or she sees Drogon before the Pit which would lose some of the surprise factor imo.

  84. Sansa is clearly in the Winterfell crypts. Credit to King Tommen and Admiral Kyrd for championing that particular theory. I thought it was a definite possibility, but I wasn’t 100% convinced. I definitely am now.

    For what it’s worth, the woman who Ramsay is having sex with does not appear to be her. It’s a very quick shot, but it doesn’t look like Myranda either. Does anyone recognize the actress?

    I think that woman standing in the water with the crowd reaching up to her is our first glimpse of the Waif!

  85. King Tommen,

    I know you were joking but I only kindof was. If I get on a high horse again remind me of this.

    How about that Long Bridge of Volantis! Holy shit that looks great!

  93. Greenjones,

    Ah yes, I was finally able to get freeze-frame of that particular shot after several tries. You’re right – it’s Charlotte Hope. She doesn’t look all that happy.

  94. We also see a Vale contingent riding into Winterfell which presumably matches up with the Bolton receiving line we’ve seen in previous promo pictures.

  95. mau:
    Turncloak,

    Yes

    I thought so. Looks like I was right about Sansa going to Winterfell. Lots of people here are going to be eating lots of crow when the season rolls out

  96. Glad to hear no one was hurt.

    On to happier timers, my, that was one staggeringly good trailer. Loved the reminder about the houses at the beginning, easy for a show spectator to forget whose in contention.

    Most importantly Sansa. I had my reservations about it, I will admit the thought of her going there this season befuddled me but I will watch with bated breath how it all unfolds. This could work.

  98. King Tommen,

    Indeed we do. So it looks like Sansa may travel to Winterfell as part of an official delegation, not as a helpless pawn with no support at all. That may take the edge off slightly for several people who thought that this plot was the absolute worst idea ever.

    Who am I kidding? They’ll still be furious about it. But we can worry about that later. I’m still too happy about the new trailer and everything in it to worry about the inevitable negative reaction that a small but vocal minority will have to certain changes. Nothing can bring me down today.

  99. King Tommen,

    Hat in hand but I shall not take a bite until I see it! I’m afraid I may throw it right back up! Everything about the trailer looks great but I am still concerned about that bit. Sansa must be cloaked or in disguise. I know nothing.

  100. Can anyone account for @AngryGoTFan’s whereabouts during this time period?

  101. This coming year, they will have to really tighten security for filming, especially in
    Spain and Croatia. Because GoT will be a big juicy target for ISIS and their ilk.

  104. Cumsprite,

    The Real IRA or whoever this bomb plot was by has nothing to do with Islamic terrorism.

    It probably was one of the IRA groups though as it was about ex policemen working security and they regarded NI as a police state for years. Things have come a hell of a long way since the late 90s though, and most of the groups still working are fringe groups, it’s weird I can still remember the sound of Manchester getting bombed.

  105. Not that I’m at all cynical about news reporting, but when you boil it down the story is:

    Someone tipped off the police > Security was beefed up > nothing happened.

    The story would be exactly the same if the ‘tip-off’ was a hoax or an exaggeration or the ‘plot’ was just someone running their mouth off without being serious. Maybe it was a real, serious plot that was narrowly averted, and maybe the reason we didn’t hear about it at the time was because it was as likely as not a crank call or worry over nothing.

  109. By the looks of it, it may be those fucktards calling themselves “The Real IRA”…the splinter group that never really embraced or accepted the peace accord known as the Good Friday or Belfast Agreement from 1998. Most of the IRA laid down their weapons in 1994, but not this hard core group, which has unfortunately remained active to this very day.

    It may very well be someone else, but the mention of this threat being predicated on the fact that the show hired ex-police officers, would seem to point to “The Real IRA”.

    It is sad that we’ve come to this state of affairs, that a television show can be targeted for such an reason as hiring someone to provide security on the set or on location, the result of a long, brutal and bloody conflict, that most people thought by enlarge dealt with in back in 1998. Almost 20 years ago. But I guess it’s never too late for history to rear, its sometimes ugly head, back in…

    Having said that, I will say this, any threats or attacks on the cast, crew or anyone else associated with the show would be ill advised and a really, really bad idea…actually a stupid one!

  110. Coming from Belfast these bomb threats feel completely normal to me. Awful, but normal. However, this one for me personally is worse, because all it does is give us peaceful ones – the majority of us, by the way – a bad name. It also could put future film makers off from coming here, which would be a great shame because the NI film industry is doing so great right now, and this really is a great place to come.

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