Cornish National Liberation Army

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The Cornish National Liberation Army, abbreviated to CNLA, was a militant Cornish nationalist organisation that has threatened to carry out acts of vandalism and arson against commercial targets that it considers to be 'English'.^[1]

The CNLA claims to represent a merger of the An Gof (originally founded in 1980 and reformed in 2007) and the Cornish Liberation Army. It claims to receive funding from organisations based in other Celtic nations and Irish groups in the United States, and that some of its members have received training from the Free Wales Army, the Scottish National Liberation Army, and the Irish National Liberation Army, as well as the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

In June 2007, the CNLA issued threats against celebrity chefs Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver, who own restaurants in the area, as well as to customers of these restaurants.^[2] A 36-year-old man was later arrested for making the threats. ^[3]

It has been described by the Cornish political party, Mebyon Kernow as a 'pseudo-terrorist group'.^[1] Dick Cole, spokesman for Mebyon Kernow, released a statement to various London papers in an effort to balance the positions adopted by mainstream Cornish political groups.^[4]

The group also opposes the flying of the English flag in Cornwall, and has threatened to destroy all English flags in the county.^[1]

There is little evidence as to the size of the CNLA other than an August 2007 interview in Cornish World Magazine in which they claim thirty members.^[5]

[edit] Cornish Republican Army

As of the 9^th October 2007 the CNLA changed its name to the Cornish Republican Army or CRA, in response to copycat groups and supporters claiming to be CNLA. The announcement contained dismissals and admissions of various publicised CNLA attacks. It also confirmed that the activities threatened against Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein had been ceased.

In November 2007 Per Svenssonn, a writer for the internet periodical Ciudadanos Europeos, successfully gained an email interview with a member of the CRA through the Cornwall24[1] website forum. As well as confirming the name change, the interview outlined (among other topics) the structure of the organisation, confirmed official CRA attacks and suggested future plans.

When questioned on forthcoming events the CRA spokesperson answered:

"2008 promises to be an interesting year for the English occupying forces and their establishment. Beyond that, no comment."