Continuity Irish Republican Army

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The Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) is an Irish Republican paramilitary organisation (which supporters recognise as the National Army of the 32-County Irish Republic) that split from the Provisional IRA in 1986.

Contents 1 Origins 2 Leadership 3 Strength 4 Legal Status 5 External aid and arsenal 6 Activities 7 Internal tension 8 Attacks and incidents 9 References

[edit] Origins

The CIRA has its origins in a split in the Provisional IRA. Sometime in September/October 1986, the Provisional IRA held a meeting of General Army Convention (GAC), the organisation’s supreme decision-making body. It was the first GAC in sixteen years. The meeting, which was held in secret, was convened to discuss the articles of the Provisional IRA constitution which dealt with abstentionism, its opposition to the taking of seats in Dáil Éireann. The GAC passed motions (by the necessary two-thirds majority) allowing members of the Provisional IRA to discuss and debate the taking of parliamentary seats, and the removal of the ban on members of the organisation from supporting any successful republican candidate who took their seat in Dáil Éireann.^[1]

These changes within the military wing of the Republican Movement were followed by the political wing and at the subsequent Sinn Féin Ard Fheis (party conference), the party's policy of abstentionism, which forbade Sinn Féin elected representatives from taking seats in the Oireachtas, the parliament of the Republic of Ireland, was dropped.

Mirroring the political split that led to the formation of Republican Sinn Féin, a split occurred in the Provisional IRA. The majority of the IRA Army Executive opposed the change on the basis that it ran contrary to the IRA and Sinn Féin constitutions and were thus illegitimate. Some of these opponents later reconstituted themselves as the Continuity Executive, which in turn appointed an Army Council of the Continuity Irish Republican Army.

Similar to the claim put forward by the Provisional IRA after its split from the Official IRA in 1969, the Continuity IRA claims to be the legitimate continuation of the 'Irish Republican Army' or Óglaigh na hÉireann. This argument is based on the view that the surviving anti-Treaty members of the Second Dáil delegated their "authority" to the IRA Army Council in 1938. As further justification for this claim, which is rejected not only by most Irish Republicans but by the vast majority of the Irish people, is that Tom Maguire, one of those anti-Treaty members of the Second Dáil, issued a statement in favour of the Continuity IRA as he had done in 1969 in favour of the Provisionals.

[edit] Leadership

The leadership of the Continuity IRA is believed to be based in the Munster and Ulster areas. It is alleged that its chief of staff is a Limerick man and that a number of other key members are from that county. He is believed to have been in this position since the death of Dáithí Ó Conaill, the first chief of staff, in 1991.^[2] Other prominent members are believed to come from Donegal and Fermanagh.

[edit] Strength

In 2004 the United States (US) government believed the Continuity IRA consisting of fewer than five hundred fully-active members. In 2005, Irish Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform Michael McDowell told Dáil Éireann that the organisation had a maximum of 150 members.^[3]

[edit] Legal Status

The CIRA is an illegal organisation under Irish and UK law (section 11(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000) due to the use of 'IRA' in the group's name in a situation analogous to that of the RIRA^[4].

On 13 July 2004, the US government designated the CIRA as a 'Foreign Terrorist Organization' (FTO) ^[5]. This made it illegal for Americans to provide material support to the CIRA, requires US financial institutions to block the group's assets and denies alleged CIRA members visas into the US.

[edit] External aid and arsenal

The US government suspects the Continuity IRA of having received funds and arms from supporters in the United States. Security sources in the Republic of Ireland have expressed the suspicion that, in cooperation with the Real Irish Republican Army, the Continuity IRA may have acquired arms and material from the Balkans. They also suspect that the Continuity IRA arsenal contains some weapons that were taken from Provisional IRA arms dumps, including a few dozen rifles, machine guns, and pistols; a small amount of the explosive Semtex; and a few dozen detonators.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Activities

Initially, the Continuity IRA did not reveal its existence, either in the form of press statements or paramilitary activity. Although the Garda Síochána had suspicions that the organisation existed, they were unsure of its name, labelling it the "Irish National Republican Army".

It was only after the Provisional IRA ceasefire of 1994 that the Continuity IRA became active, announcing its intention to continue the campaign against British rule before the formation of the "Real IRA". The CIRA continues to oppose the Stormont Agreement and, unlike the Provisional IRA (and the Real IRA in 1998), as of 2006 the CIRA has not announced a ceasefire or agreed to participate in weapons decommissioning - nor is there any evidence that it will.

[edit] Internal tension

In 2005, several members of the Continuity IRA, who were serving prison sentences in Portlaoise Prison for paramilitary activity, left the organisation. Some transferred to the INLA landing of the prison, but the majority are now independent and on E4 landing. The remaining Continuity IRA prisoners have moved to E3 landing, which houses Real IRA prisoners. Supporters of the Continuity IRA leadership claim that this resulted from an internal disagreement, which although brought to a conclusion, was followed by some people leaving the organisation anyway. Supporters of the disaffected members established the Concerned Group for Republican Prisoners in their support.

In February 2006, the Independent Monitoring Commission claimed in a report on paramilitary activity that two groups, styling themselves as the Saoirse na hÉireann and Óglaigh na hÉireann, had been formed after a split in the Continuity IRA.^[6]

[edit] Attacks and incidents

The Continuity IRA has been involved in a number of bombing and shooting incidents (none of which have caused fatalities), assassinations and kidnappings, as well as extortion and robbery. Targets of the CIRA have included British military and Police service (RUC, etc.), as well as Loyalist terrorists. As of 2004, the CIRA is believed to have an established presence or capability of launching attacks on the island of Britain. A bomb defused in Dublin in December 2005 was believed to have been the work of the CIRA. In February 2006, the Independent Monitoring Commission blamed the CIRA for planting four bombs in Northern Ireland during the final quarter of 2005, as well as several hoax bomb warnings.

The following incomplete list identifies some of the attacks and incidents which have been claimed by or attributed to the Continuity IRA since 1996:

• 11 January 1996 Statement issued announcing the existence of the Continuity IRA
• 13 July 1996 Car bomb containing up to 1,200 lb of home-made explosives exploded outside the Kilyhelvin Hotel, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, causing substantial damage. The blast injured 17 people as they were being evacuated from the hotel.
• 29 September 1996 Car bomb containing 250 lb of home-made explosives was abandoned in Belfast. Security forces used a controlled explosion to make the bomb safe.
• 21 November 1996 A 600lb bomb, which failed to explode, was found abandoned in Derry.
• 14 May 1997 Car bomb partially explodes in Belfast injuring a CIRA member. British Army defuse the device.
• 6 July 1997 Grenade attack on the New Barnsley RUC station in Belfast. Other shooting incidents in Belfast on the same day.
• 31 July 1997 A bomb, estimated at between 500 and 1,000 lb, was left at the grounds of Carrybridge Hotel, near Lisballaw, County Fermanagh.
• 9 August 1997 Planted a hoax van bomb prior on Craigavon Bridge, Derry prior to the start of the start of the Apprentice Boys' parade through the city.
• 16 September 1997 Large bomb explodes in Markethill, Co Armagh, damaging much of the town.
• 30 October 1997 Claimed responsibility for the attempted bombing of government offices in Derry.
• 20 November 1997 Left a small bomb behind Belfast City Hall
• 13 January 1998 Shots fired at funeral of CIRA leader, Dermot McGuirk, in Dublin.
• 24 January 1998 Car bomb exploded outside an entertainment club, the 'River Club' on Factory Road in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
• March 1998 Small bomb left in the Northern Bank in Derry city center, CIRA claims members of the PIRA tried to prevent them carrying out attack.
• 4 September 1998 CIRA claim gun attack on RUC patrol in Armagh. RUC deny it took place.
• 23 September 1998 Weapons seized in Dublin.
• 14 January 1999 Gun attack on Woodbourne RUC Station in West Belfast. Four men later convicted.
• 4 February 1999 Channel 4 documentary shows CIRA propaganda video.
• 4 May 1999 Gun attack on Lisnaskea RUC Station in Co Fermanagh.
• 2 June 1999 Bomb hoax in Armagh City causes chaos.
• 4 November 1999 CIRA prisoner, Tommy Crossan, is attacked by a Loyalist prisoner in Maghaberry Prison.
• 27 December 1999 Bomb hoax forces the evacuation of Kempton Park racetrack in England.
• 23 January 2000 Limerick man arrested transporting a major explosives haul for the Continuity IRA. He was later jailed for eight years by the Special Criminal Court.^[7]
• 6 February 2000 Bomb explosion at a hotel in Irvinestown; there were no injuries.
• 13 April 2000 Mortar attack on Roslea RUC Station in Co Fermanagh.
• 19 May 2000 Series of bomb alerts in Belfast City Centre. Nothing found.
• 1 November 2000 Booby-trap bomb in Castlewellan, County Down, in which an RUC officer lost a leg and two fingers. The CIRA later claimed responsibility.^[8]
• 14 December 2000 One man and a 16 year old boy arrested after bomb found in car in Belfast City Centre.
• 31 May 2001 Dermot Gannon from Dublin becomes first person to be convicted of membership of the CIRA solely on the word of a Garda chief superintendent. He was jailed for four years.
• 22 June 2001 Thomas Ryan, 25, from Kilscanlan, Foulksmills, Co Wexford pleaded guilty to possession of 87 sticks of gelignite. He received an 8 year suspended sentence after co-operating with the police.
• 26 June 2001 Bomb making materials and 60lbs of homemade explosives found on the Monaghan border.
• 19 July 2001 Gun and grenade attack on Castlewellan RUC Station in Co Down.
• 17 October 2001 350lb bomb seized in Co Tyrone. Man later convicted.
• 30 October 2001 5kg bomb explodes on hijacked bus outside Woodbourne RUC Station.
• 19 December 2001 Bomb damages Custom office in Co Fermanagh.
• 24 March 2002 Gun attack on Beleek RUC Station in Co Fermanagh.
• 24 July 2002 Explosion on Fermanagh estate of Unionist peer Lord Brookeborough.
• February 2003 Pipe Bomb attack on Woodbourne PSNI Station, Belfast.
• 18 February 2003 Nail Bomb attack on Antrim Road PSNI Station, Belfast.
• 5 July 2005 Hoax Bomb warning in Keady, Co Armagh.
• 9 July 2005 Pipe Bomb attack on Coalisland PSNI Station, Co Tyrone.
• 12 July 2005 Blast Bombs thrown at PSNI during riots in Ardoyne, Belfast.
• 13 July 2005 Improvised device discovered in Armagh after emailed bomb warning.
• December 2005 A suspected Continuity IRA member was arrested while driving a bomb through Dublin. Gardaí believe the device was intended for use against drugs gangs in the city^[9]
• 6 April 2006 Six men and a 16 year old youth arrested and charged with possessing bomb making materials in Belfast.
• 19 April 2006 250 lb bomb discovered in Lurgan, Co Armagh. Four men arrested.

[edit] References

1. ^ Cáin Chronology of the Conflict - 1986
2. ^ "CIRA bomb adds to growing crisis in the peace process", Irish Examiner, 7 February 2000
3. ^ Dáil Debates
4. ^ WEDNESDAY LAW REPORT: Membership of Real IRA was a terrorism offence-From the Guardian Newspaper
5. ^ US Department of State, Office of Counterterrorism Fact sheet 2005
6. ^ Eighth Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission, 1 February 2006
7. ^ "Court jails man for moving explosives" Irish Times, 25 October 2000]
8. ^ "Continuity IRA admits bomb blast" Irish Times, 11 November 2000]
9. ^ RTÉ News

Irish armed groups using the name Irish Republican Army

Irish Republican Army (Army of the Irish Republic) (1919–1922)

Organisations known by the name in later years Irish Republican Army (1922–1969) | Official IRA (1969–present) | Provisional IRA (1969–present) | Continuity IRA (1986–present) | Real IRA (1997–present)

See also Timeline of the Irish Republican Army