Maven surefire plugin throws an error even when it is not used in IntelliJ - maven

Question

I am using Intellij. Recently I have cleared the Maven repository in local and reimported the dependencies again. Since then I see an error in the Maven window as in the attached image, even though the surefire plugin is not used in pom.
Also, when I run the maven goal "install", I get the following error,
Failure to find org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-surefire-plugin:pom:2.12.4 in https://maven.springframework.org/release was cached in the local repository, resolution will not be reattempted until the update interval of spring-maven-release has elapsed or updates are forced
Sometimes I get the "protocol_version" error.
I have tried invalidating the cache and restarted the IDE, but still no luck. I am also attaching my pom.xml.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/maven-v4_0_0.xsd">
<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
<groupId>com.platform</groupId>
<artifactId>platform</artifactId>
<packaging>war</packaging>
<version>0.1.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
<name>platform</name>
<properties>
<aspectj.version>1.7.0.RC1</aspectj.version>
<java.version>1.7</java.version>
<project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
<roo.version>1.2.2.RELEASE</roo.version>
<slf4j.version>1.6.4</slf4j.version>
<spring.version>3.1.1.RELEASE</spring.version>
<spring-security.version>3.1.0.RELEASE</spring-security.version>
<netbeans.hint.deploy.server>Tomcat</netbeans.hint.deploy.server>
</properties>
<repositories>
<repository>
<id>spring-maven-release</id>
<name>Spring Maven Release Repository</name>
<url>https://maven.springframework.org/release</url>
</repository>
<repository>
<id>spring-maven-milestone</id>
<name>Spring Maven Milestone Repository</name>
<url>https://maven.springframework.org/milestone</url>
</repository>
<repository>
<id>spring-roo-repository</id>
<name>Spring Roo Repository</name>
<url>https://spring-roo-repository.springsource.org/release</url>
</repository>
<repository>
<id>EclipseLink Repo</id>
<url>https://download.eclipse.org/rt/eclipselink/maven.repo</url>
<name>EclipseLink Repo</name>
</repository>
<repository>
<id>maven2-repository.dev.java.net</id>
<name>Java.net Repository for Maven</name>
<url>https://download.java.net/maven/2/</url>
<layout>default</layout>
</repository>
</repositories>
<pluginRepositories>
<pluginRepository>
<id>spring-maven-release</id>
<name>Spring Maven Release Repository</name>
<url>https://maven.springframework.org/release</url>
</pluginRepository>
<pluginRepository>
<id>spring-maven-milestone</id>
<name>Spring Maven Milestone Repository</name>
<url>https://maven.springframework.org/milestone</url>
</pluginRepository>
<pluginRepository>
<id>spring-roo-repository</id>
<name>Spring Roo Repository</name>
<url>https://spring-roo-repository.springsource.org/release</url>
</pluginRepository>
</pluginRepositories>
<dependencies>
<!-- General dependencies for standard applications -->
<dependency>
<groupId>junit</groupId>
<artifactId>junit</artifactId>
<version>4.10</version>
<scope>test</scope>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>log4j</groupId>
<artifactId>log4j</artifactId>
<version>1.2.16</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
<artifactId>slf4j-api</artifactId>
<version>${slf4j.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
<artifactId>jcl-over-slf4j</artifactId>
<version>${slf4j.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
<artifactId>slf4j-log4j12</artifactId>
<version>${slf4j.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.aspectj</groupId>
<artifactId>aspectjrt</artifactId>
<version>${aspectj.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.aspectj</groupId>
<artifactId>aspectjweaver</artifactId>
<version>${aspectj.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
<artifactId>servlet-api</artifactId>
<version>3.0-alpha-1</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>jstl</groupId>
<artifactId>jstl</artifactId>
<version>1.2</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>net.sf.flexjson</groupId>
<artifactId>flexjson</artifactId>
<version>2.1</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.apache.commons</groupId>
<artifactId>commons-lang3</artifactId>
<version>3.1</version>
</dependency>
<!-- ROO dependencies -->
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.roo</groupId>
<artifactId>org.springframework.roo.annotations</artifactId>
<version>${roo.version}</version>
<scope>provided</scope>
</dependency>
<!-- Spring dependencies -->
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
<exclusions>
<exclusion>
<groupId>commons-logging</groupId>
<artifactId>commons-logging</artifactId>
</exclusion>
</exclusions>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-test</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
<scope>test</scope>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-aop</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-aspects</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>mysql</groupId>
<artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId>
<version>5.1.18</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.eclipse.persistence</groupId>
<artifactId>eclipselink</artifactId>
<version>2.2.1</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.eclipse.persistence</groupId>
<artifactId>javax.persistence</artifactId>
<version>2.0.3</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.hibernate</groupId>
<artifactId>hibernate-validator</artifactId>
<version>4.2.0.Final</version>
<exclusions>
<exclusion>
<groupId>javax.xml.bind</groupId>
<artifactId>jaxb-api</artifactId>
</exclusion>
<exclusion>
<groupId>com.sun.xml.bind</groupId>
<artifactId>jaxb-impl</artifactId>
</exclusion>
</exclusions>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>javax.validation</groupId>
<artifactId>validation-api</artifactId>
<version>1.0.0.GA</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>cglib</groupId>
<artifactId>cglib-nodep</artifactId>
<version>2.2.2</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>javax.transaction</groupId>
<artifactId>jta</artifactId>
<version>1.1</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-jdbc</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-orm</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>commons-pool</groupId>
<artifactId>commons-pool</artifactId>
<version>1.5.6</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>commons-dbcp</groupId>
<artifactId>commons-dbcp</artifactId>
<version>1.3</version>
<exclusions>
<exclusion>
<groupId>commons-logging</groupId>
<artifactId>commons-logging</artifactId>
</exclusion>
<exclusion>
<groupId>xml-apis</groupId>
<artifactId>xml-apis</artifactId>
</exclusion>
</exclusions>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.data</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-data-jpa</artifactId>
<version>1.1.0.RELEASE</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId>
<version>${spring.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-security-core</artifactId>
<version>${spring-security.version}</version>
<exclusions>
<exclusion>
<groupId>commons-logging</groupId>
<artifactId>commons-logging</artifactId>
</exclusion>
</exclusions>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-security-config</artifactId>
<version>${spring-security.version}</version>
<exclusions>
<exclusion>
<groupId>commons-logging</groupId>
<artifactId>commons-logging</artifactId>
</exclusion>
</exclusions>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-security-web</artifactId>
<version>${spring-security.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.springframework.security</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-security-taglibs</artifactId>
<version>${spring-security.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>net.jawr</groupId>
<artifactId>jawr</artifactId>
<version>3.3.3</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.codehaus.jackson</groupId>
<artifactId>jackson-mapper-asl</artifactId>
<version>1.7.1</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.codehaus.jackson</groupId>
<artifactId>jackson-xc</artifactId>
<version>1.7.1</version>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
<build>
<plugins>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-war-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.2</version>
<configuration>
<webappDirectory>${project.build.directory}/${project.artifactId}.war</webappDirectory>
</configuration>
<!-- <configuration> <webXml>target/web.xml</webXml> </configuration> -->
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.4</version>
<configuration>
<source>${java.version}</source>
<target>${java.version}</target>
<encoding>${project.build.sourceEncoding}</encoding>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
<artifactId>aspectj-maven-plugin</artifactId>
<version>1.2</version>
<!-- NB: do not use 1.3 or 1.3.x due to MASPECTJ-90 and do not use 1.4 due to declare parents issue -->
<dependencies>
<!-- NB: You must use Maven 2.0.9 or above or these are ignored (see MNG-2972) -->
<dependency>
<groupId>org.aspectj</groupId>
<artifactId>aspectjrt</artifactId>
<version>${aspectj.version}</version>
</dependency>
<dependency>
<groupId>org.aspectj</groupId>
<artifactId>aspectjtools</artifactId>
<version>${aspectj.version}</version>
</dependency>
</dependencies>
<executions>
<execution>
<goals>
<goal>compile</goal>
<goal>test-compile</goal>
</goals>
</execution>
</executions>
<configuration>
<outxml>true</outxml>
<aspectLibraries>
<aspectLibrary>
<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
<artifactId>spring-aspects</artifactId>
</aspectLibrary>
</aspectLibraries>
<source>${java.version}</source>
<target>${java.version}</target>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-resources-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.5</version>
<configuration>
<encoding>${project.build.sourceEncoding}</encoding>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-assembly-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.3</version>
<configuration>
<descriptorRefs>
<descriptorRef>jar-with-dependencies</descriptorRef>
</descriptorRefs>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-deploy-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.7</version>
</plugin>
<!-- IDE -->
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-eclipse-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.7</version>
<!-- Note 2.8 does not work with AspectJ aspect path -->
<configuration>
<downloadSources>true</downloadSources>
<downloadJavadocs>false</downloadJavadocs>
<wtpversion>2.0</wtpversion>
<additionalBuildcommands>
<buildCommand>
<name>org.eclipse.ajdt.core.ajbuilder</name>
<arguments>
<aspectPath>org.springframework.aspects</aspectPath>
</arguments>
</buildCommand>
<buildCommand>
<name>org.springframework.ide.eclipse.core.springbuilder</name>
</buildCommand>
</additionalBuildcommands>
<additionalProjectnatures>
<projectnature>org.eclipse.ajdt.ui.ajnature</projectnature>
<projectnature>com.springsource.sts.roo.core.nature</projectnature>
<projectnature>org.springframework.ide.eclipse.core.springnature</projectnature>
</additionalProjectnatures>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>maven-idea-plugin</artifactId>
<version>2.2</version>
<configuration>
<downloadSources>true</downloadSources>
<dependenciesAsLibraries>true</dependenciesAsLibraries>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>
<artifactId>tomcat-maven-plugin</artifactId>
<version>1.1</version>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.mortbay.jetty</groupId>
<artifactId>jetty-maven-plugin</artifactId>
<version>8.1.4.v20120524</version>
<configuration>
<webAppConfig>
<contextPath>/${project.name}</contextPath>
</webAppConfig>
</configuration>
</plugin>
<plugin>
<groupId>org.jboss.as.plugins</groupId>
<artifactId>jboss-as-maven-plugin</artifactId>
<version>7.4.Final</version>
</plugin>
</plugins>
</build>
</project>
Any idea on why this could be?