Mitchell has warned that extremists on both sides of the sectarian divide could step up attacks in the weeks leading up to may 22 referendums being held on both sides of the Irish border to give the people's verdict on the historic deal. ``There are people on both sides who want to disrupt this process, who are committed to the way of violence. I expect they will step up their activities,'' he told the US NetworkABC News.

Few believe the deal will silence all the gunmen -- especially those who have grown up in the shadow of bigotry on both sides of Northern Ireland's divided community.