Posted on 04/30/2006 8:33:42 AM PDT by Irish_Thatcherite
Provisionals linked to expulsion of family at centre of row after killing
The Provisional IRA has been linked to the forcing out of a family at the centre of a dispute in west Belfast following the murder of Gerard Devlin.
However, the latest assessment by the IMC said the organisation had not sanctioned the use of violence in relation to the expulsion.
Mr Devlin (39), a father-of-six, was stabbed to death on February 3 in Ballymurphy. His killing sparked a wave of attacks.
The IMC said that after the murder the IRA "sought to defuse tensions and that despite popular pressure it declined to take violent action".
"We think nevertheless that PIRA did seek to secure the departure from the area of one of the families involved in the dispute but did not sanction the use of violence," it said.
"We also believe that in a separate incident PIRA itself may have been associated with the forced departure of somebody from the area where he lived."
As billed days before publication the assessment of the IRA covering three months, from December to February, was highly positive.
The commission concluded that while some senior IRA men were still involved in organised crime, the leadership had sanctioned no paramilitary or other violent activity.
In the last three months there has been no indication of training, engineering activity, recruitment or targeting, nor has the organisation carried out any so-called 'punishment' shootings or beatings.
The IMC said it had information on instances of IRA members being involved in assaults and other violence, largely arising from personal or community disputes, but there was "nothing to suggest" that these individuals were acting under the orders of the organisation.
"There has now been a substantial erosion of PIRA's capacity to return to a military campaign without a significant period of build-up, which in any event we do not believe they have any intentions of doing," the IMC said.
The commission has previously blamed the IRA for continuing to gather intelligence but this is no longer the case.
"Though PIRA has access to people in positions in public and private organisations who could provide them with sensitive information on individuals which might be of use to them, we have no indication that people are currently being tasked to supply such information," it said.
The IMC said there were signs that the IRA continued to stop members engaging in criminal activity.
It noted that members had been told not to attend February's Love Ulster march in Dublin which erupted in violence.
Republicans previously engaged in illegal fundraising had been ordered to desist, the commission said.
However, the IMC said it believed some Provisionals, including "senior ones", were still involved in crime such as fuel laundering, money laundering, extortion and smuggling.
The three-member commission said it still held the "absolutely clear view that the Provisional IRA (PIRA) leadership has committed itself to following a peaceful path".
The IMC also praised Sinn Féin, saying it had seen "further evidence" of positive leadership.
The report referred to the retention of some IRA weapons following last autumn's decommissioning.
It said the IRA had claimed only to have destroyed all the arms "under its control" and that any kept by local units had been retained without the order of the leadership.
The commission said the unsurrendered weaponry was "not significant" compared to what had been decommissioned.
The IMC mentioned the murder of former Sinn Féin official and self-confessed British agent Denis Donaldson in Co Donegal earlier this month. The killing was not covered in this report but will be in the next.
On the dissident front, both the Continuity IRA and Real IRA remain a threat.
CIRA is the most active of the dissident groups. It continues to recruit and was behind a number of attacks during the period covered.
The IMC said it did not believe CIRA had been involved in rioting at the Love Ulster March.
The commission's assessment of the RIRA remains the same – that it has been responsible for violence including shootings and remains involved in other serious crime including a kidnapping and robbery in Derry which netted £30,000.
The IMC said that despite infighting within the RIRA's two factions, the organisation's "aspirations and readiness to use extreme violence are undiminished".
The status of the INLA remains largely unchanged. It continues to be linked to organised crime including drugs.
The IMC said it believed the group had carried out assaults.
The commission also said the INLA was linked with ordering a suspected burglar to leave Strabane, Co Tyrone, and was involved in robberies including one in Sion Mills and another at the Ulster Bank in north Belfast in February during which a woman and a one-year-old child were held hostage.
April 28, 2006
The IMC said that after the murder the IRA "sought to defuse tensions and that despite popular pressure it declined to take violent action".
More handwringing from the IMC!!
A ping to yet more Hibernofascism!
No one showing much interest....
That's because you forgot to include pictures of the Corr sisters.
Any update on the bank robbery?
Maybe... *sigh*
If you mean the Northern Bank, here is one from April 20:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4928166.stm
April 4:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=178236760&p=y78z37466&n=178237520
and April 12:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4903656.stm
Why is this thread in Bloggers and Personal? Did I post it there by mistake?
Just toss a few hundred into prison without trial or charge and leave them them for a few years.
L
There's no way you can argue that the Irish aren't British subjects.
They may not be willing subjects, but they are indeed subjects. Therefore your analogy is a false one.
So as I said. Just toss a few of the troublemakers into prison for a few years without trial or charges. I'm sure that'll make those pesky IRA folks compliant.
L
So, you post British bashing crap on a thread about a murder committed by the IRA.
Why can't just simply condemn the IRA for their (ongoing) atrocities?
I asked you a question.
Sigh! Great idea, but I think a more, shall we say, permanent solution would be more effective.
BTW Irish, did you see the shinners in the gay parade the other week? When theyr'e not bombing kids and knee-capping grannies, they're sure pretty in pink!
BTW Irish, did you see the shinners in the gay parade the other week?
I didn't, that must have been creepy.... anyway, I notice every time there is a strike or a lefty demonstration, Sinn Fein/IRA are there with their placards - they love to hijack everything for their own ends!
BTW, FRiend, do you notice this thread is in Bloggers and Personal? I know I didn't post it here, whatever is going on.
It mustn't be, I noticed the last few threads I posted to be on the quiet side.
People shouldn't kill civilians, period. People also shouldn't conquer other peoples countries and try to tell them its for their own good.
Sovereign governments shouldn't sytematically violate the human rights of their 'subjects' (disgusting word, that. I prefer 'citizen'.)
So there. I condemn the violence of the IRA and I condemn the tactics of the British Government. I'm an equal opportunity condemner.
BTW, why don't the Brits just get the hell out of Ireland and let them run their own country? It's not like the Irish are English or anything.
L
Of course it would. But didn't Great Britain abolish capital punishment some years back? You wouldn't be advocating anything, oh say , extra-judicial now would you?
Smarmy freaking Brits trying to lecture us on human rights....makes me bloody sick it does.
L
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