Posted on 07/09/2002 1:50:54 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
WASHINGTON, July 8 (UPI) -- The Irish Republican army is developing new weapons in Colombia despite denying links to Marxist rebels in that country, the Washington Times reported Tuesday.
"The PIRA have been using Colombia as a training ground to carry out tests with their engineering department as they are no longer able to use the Irish Republic due to the current political climate," the Times cited a newly released British intelligence report as saying. PIRA refers to the Provisional IRA.
Three IRA members -- James Monaghan, Neil Connolly and John McCauley -- were arrested in Colombia last August and were accused of training members of the banned Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. The Marxist group is on the State Department's list of foreign terrorist organizations.
The Times quoted British intelligence officials as saying the IRA's move to South America was an attempt to keep it -- especially its engineering department -- functional in case Northern Ireland's peace process fails.
The Times reported last month that FARC and IRA members met several times over the past three years.
"Colombian military and police officials, British intelligence officers and U.S. House investigators said the meetings were part of an effort by the FARC to upgrade its weaponry and escalate its ability to wage urban terrorism," the Times said.
The IRA officials involved in the meetings are believed to include several key aides to Gerry Adams, the head of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA.
A Colombian military report said IRA members trained FARC rebels in "terrorism, explosives and military tactics."
House investigators told the Times the IRA was given $2 million to teach FARC how to build booby-trapped bombs and a version of its "barracks buster" mortar.
Adams has denied links between the two groups.
"The PIRA have been using Colombia as a training ground to carry out tests with their engineering department...
The creatitivity of Irish design genius meets the execution of skilled Colombian blacksmiths? Be afraid, be very afraid...
[And keep an eye out for falling potatoes....]
Damme! I wonder where they came up with the idea for THAT fiendishly ingenious device?
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