Real Irish Republican Army
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The Real Irish Republican Army, otherwise known as the Real IRA (RIRA) and styling itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann (Volunteers of Ireland) is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation. The group was founded before the signing of the 1998 Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement by former members of the Provisional IRA who opposed the latter's 1997 cease-fire and acquiescence in the Agreement in the aftermath of a Provisional IRA Army Convention in County Donegal. The organisation has also referred to itself as the True IRA. The name "Real IRA" entered common usage when they staged an illegal roadblock in Jonesborough in early 1998 and told motorists "We're from the IRA. The real IRA." The RIRA is an illegal organisation proscribed in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and the USA.
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[edit] Origins 1997-1998
The Real IRA originally attracted disaffected IRA members from the republican stronghold of South Armagh, as well as from Derry and Strabane. Its first leader was Michael McKevitt, a former "quartermaster general" of the Provisional IRA, and husband of Bernadette Sands-McKevitt, sister of hunger striker Bobby Sands. Michael McKevitt was imprisoned on charges of directing terrorism in August 2003. Shortly after its formation, the Real IRA began attacks similar in nature to those conducted by the Provisional IRA prior to its ceasefire. However, it lacked a significant base, and was heavily infiltrated by informers, leading to a series of high profile arrests and seizures by the Garda Síochána and the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the first half of 1998. Despite this, the Real IRA succeeded in bombing Omagh town centre on August 15, 1998, killing 29 people, including at least one pregnant woman. This bombing, which the Real IRA claimed was intended to result in commercial damage, caused a major outcry in Ireland, Britain and throughout the world. Many of the Real IRA's members abandoned the organisation, and the British police and An Garda Síochána co-operated on an unprecedented scale in an attempt to destroy the movement.
During 1997 and 1998 the Real IRA were responsible for a number of bombings [citation needed]:
- 16 September 1997 : Van bomb exploded at RUC station in Markethill, County Armagh.
- 6 January 1998 : Car bomb is defused in the centre of Banbridge, County Down.
- 23 February 1998: Car bomb exploded in centre of Portadown, County Armagh.
- 10 March 1998 Mortar bomb attack on RUC station in Armagh, County Armagh.
- 24 June 1998 Car bomb exploded in Newtownhamilton, County Armagh.
- 22 July 1998 Mortar bomb attack on RUC station in Newry, County Armagh.
- 28 July 1998 Incendiary bombs were found in stores in Portadown, County Armagh.
- 1 August 1998 Car bomb exploded in centre of Banbridge, County Down. The bomb resulted in 33 civilians being seriously injured with over £2m of damage caused.
- 15 August 1998 The Real IRA's single, bloodiest strike in the 30-year history of partisan conflict resulted with the bombing of the shopping district in Omagh. 29 people were killed and hundreds injured when a car packed with 500Ib of explosives detonated at 3.10pm.
[edit] 1998 to present
The Real IRA called a ceasefire in the immediate aftermath of the Omagh bombing, but this was broken after less than two years when the organisation conducted a number of attacks in England; a rocket propelled grenade attack took place on the MI6 headquarters in London and less than a year later a car-bomb exploded outside the BBC Television Centre in Shepherd's Bush, West London, seriously injuring eleven civilians on 4 March 2001 (See 4 March 2001 BBC bombing). The explosion was captured by a BBC cameraman. The footage was broadcast on TV stations worldwide, and gained mass publicity for the group. In July 2001, following the arrests of several of its leaders, British and Irish government sources hinted that the organisation was now in disarray. On 3rd August 2001 the Real IRA exploded a bomb in Ealing Broadway in West London (See 3 August 2001 Ealing bombing) and on 3 November of the same year a car bomb containing 30 kg of home-made explosives was planted in Birmingham City Centre. The bomb did not fully detonate and no-one was injured.
Since then it has become increasingly weaker. Infiltration has continued, and the movement has been unable to conduct a noticeable bomb attack. In the autumn of 2003, its imprisoned leaders called for an unconditional ceasefire, citing alleged misuse of funds and the lack of success with their resistance to the British presence in Ireland. The Provisional IRA has also been extremely hostile to the RIRA and has carried out beatings and at least one fatal shooting of an RIRA member in 2000. This may have discouraged other disaffected republicans from joining the Real IRA.
In recent times, the Real IRA has continued to be active in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. December 2004 saw 15 fire bomb attacks against premises in Belfast attributed to the breakaway faction. Many attacks, similar in nature to those in Belfast, were carried out in Strabane, County Tyrone. The organisation has also been blamed for an increasing number of punishment attacks in Strabane. In 2005, Irish Minister for Justice Michael McDowell told the Dáil that the organisation had a maximum of about 150 members [1].
An attack on an PSNI patrol in Ballymena during March 2006 has been attributed to the RIRA.[2]
On 9 August 2006 a number of fire bomb attacks hit four businesses in Newry, Northern Ireland. Two of the buildings were destroyed and the other two badly damaged. The attacks were claimed by the RIRA. [3]
In its October 2006 report the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) stated that the Real IRA "remains active and dangerous" and that it seeks to "sustain its position as a terrorist organisation".[2]
On October 28, 2006, a large amount of explosives were found in Kilbranish, Mount Leinster, County Carlow by police[1]. The police believe that the Real IRA are working to de-rail the peace process with a bomb attack.
[edit] Legal Status
The RIRA 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 groups name.[4]
The government of the United States has designated the RIRA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) [5] [6]. This makes it illegal for Americans to provide material support to the RIRA, requires US financial institutions to block the group's assets and denies alleged RIRA members visas into the US.
[edit] Associated Groups
The Real IRA is distinct from the Continuity IRA, another Provisional IRA splinter group founded in 1986. The 32 County Sovereignty Movement (formerly the 32 County Sovereignty Committee) which was once headed by Bernadette Sands McKevitt is perceived to be the political wing of the Real IRA.
[edit] References
- ^ Transcript of McDowell's statement to the Dáil
- ^ a b IMC September 2006 Report, Section 2.24, HMSO
- ^ Real IRA admits city bomb attacks — BBC News report, 11 August 2006
- ^ WEDNESDAY LAW REPORT: Membership of Real IRA was a terrorism offence-From the Guardian Newspaper
- ^ US Department of State, Office of Counterterrorism Fact sheet 2005
- ^ http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2001/2922.htm US Department of State, Real IRA Designation (Taken question)]
[edit] External links
| Irish armed groups using the name Irish Republican Army |
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Irish Republican Army (Army of the Irish Republic) (1919–1922) |
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| 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) |
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