Adedokun Waliyu 
The documents were from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and included a rough itinerary relating to Mr. Biden’s visit and contained names and positions of police officials, according to a U.S. Secret Service official.
Documents that contained sensitive information about President Joe Biden’s trip to Northern Ireland this week were found on a Belfast street, prompting an investigation by police officials in Northern Ireland.
The documents were from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and included a rough itinerary relating to Mr. Biden’s visit and contained names and positions of police officials, according to a U.S. Secret Service official.
The documents did not contain any Secret Service information, its security plan or list any agency personnel, the official said.
Washington Times reports that 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.”
There was “nothing hurting” Secret Service’s security plans in the documents, the official said, adding that it’s possible the documents could have been misplaced by a police official.
The official said there has been no breach of Secret Service systems related to the incident and no plans to change Mr. Biden’s schedule or travel plans.
“The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) informed the Secret Service of media reports regarding a potentially sensitive document, which may contain law-enforcement material,” Secret Service said in a statement. “While we do not discuss the specifics of any protective operation, the President’s movements were not affected by these reports.”
A Northern Ireland police spokesperson said an investigation into the breach was underway.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
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 travelled 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.
According to the report, 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.
