South Derry Independent Republican Unit

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The South Derry Independent Republican Unit can refer to two Irish Republican guerrilla units who operated at two different times in the Northern Irish Troubles.

The first operated from c.1973-1978 and included members such as Dominic McGlinchey, Francis Hughes, Thomas McElwee, Joe Sheridan and Ian Milne.^[1] The unit is believed to have been responsible for the deaths of many members of the British Army, RUC and UDR/RIR soldiers.

The second was formed in mid-July 2006 when former members of the PIRA joined forces with members of the INLA.^[2]^[3] The ASU has been responsible for leaving several viable devices, although they have either been discovered before they were detonated or a warning was given as to their location:

2 July 2006 - A viable nail bomb is found in Bellaghy. It was believed to have been meant for use against the security forces.^[3]^[4]
16 August 2006 - A 70lb bomb is found partially detonated at the home of Lord Ballyedmond, a wealthy Ulster Unionist member of the House of Lords.^[3]
30 November 2006 - A device is left outside Coleraine court house. A warning is given and the bomb is defused.^[5]

The 13th report of the Independent Monitoring Commission, published on 30 January 2007, reported that the dissident republicans in South Derry held a training camp in late 2006. ^[6] This is believed to have been the work of the revived South Derry Independent Republican Unit.