Banks and bankers are now potential targets for the Real IRA, leaders of the dissident republican terror group have warned in an exclusive interview with the Guardian. Despite having only 100 activists they also said that targets in England remained a high priority. attempt to tap into the intense hostility towards the banks on both sides of the Irish border they branded bankers as "criminals" and said: "We have a track record of attacking high-profile economic targets and financial institutions such as the City of London. The role of bankers and the institutions they serve in financing Britain's colonial and capitalist system has not gone unnoticed. bankers are the next-door neighbours of the politicians. Most people can see the picture: the bankers grease the politicians' palms, the politicians bail out the bankers with public funds, the bankers pay themselves fat bonuses and loan the money back to the public with interest. It's essentially a crime spree that benefits a social elite at the expense of many millions of victims." But security sources in Northern Ireland point out say the Real IRA lacks the logistical resources of the Provisional IRA to prosecute a bombing campaign similar to the ones that devastated the City of London in the early 1990s or the Canary Wharf bomb in 1996. Although the Real IRA has access to explosives it has yet to carry out large-scale bombings. The terror group stressed in a series of written answers to the Guardian's questions that future attacks would alternate between the "military, political and economic targets". It is the first time the Real IRA has engaged in such open anti-capitalist rhetoric or focused on the role of the banking system. The leaders also threatened to intensify the group's terror campaign on all fronts. "Realistically, it is important to acknowledge that we have regrouped and reorganised and emerged from a turbulent period in republican history. "We have already shown our capacity to launch attacks on the British military, judicial, and policing infrastructure. As we rebuild, we are confident that we will increase the volume and effectiveness of attacks," the organisation said. One element in the Real IRA's recent activity has been a wave of so-called "punishment" shootings and beatings of those they deem "antisocial elements" in nationalist working class areas. In Derry alone the Real IRA and other aligned groups have shot around two dozen men over the last 18 months. The Real IRA's leadership was unapologetic over what its critics have described as "rough justice". The group believes such attacks are popular and can garner support in areas where the communities were previously alienated from the police. "These actions are taken as a last resort to protect the community. We are an integral part of the community and the people in them are our eyes and ears. The fact is that the British police force is rejected by republican communities and people naturally turn to us for help. "The vast majority of issues are resolved by negotiation, a small percentage require more direct forms of intervention including punishment shootings and expulsions," they said. On the political front they dismissed Sinn Féin's claims that its electoral strategy would ultimately yield a united Ireland despite the majority of nationalists in Northern Ireland still voting for Sinn Féin and an overwhelming majority backing the peace process. The Real IRA insisted, however, that support for them was building and they had turned away hundreds of young disaffected nationalists because they didn't have the capacity to absorb so many members. "From the point of view of republican communities, there is still a heavily armed British police force that casually uses plastic baton rounds, CS gas and Tasers, carry out house raids, stop and search operations and general harassment. "There's still a 5,000-strong British army garrison, a new MI5 HQ in Belfast, and a British secretary of state. Republican communities are still subjected to sectarian parades and the right to protest is being met with intimidation and violence." On the subject of recent reports of talks between dissident republicans and the Dublin and London governments the Real IRA said: "There are no talks with either the British government or the Free State Administration. "The IRA is not unwilling to talk, in fact there needs to be talks … however, talks need to deal with the root cause of the conflict, namely the illegal British occupation of Ireland. We are mindful, though, that the history of such approaches from the British has been characterised by a lack of integrity, a lack of willingness to address the causes of conflict, and has been motivated by a self-serving agenda." Northern Ireland's deputy first minister and Sinn Féin MP, Martin McGuinness, also came in for strong criticism. The former chief-of-staff of the IRA and key Sinn Féin negotiator recently claimed that he had knowledge that dissidents were holding secret discussions with the two governments. "Martin McGuinness is a British Crown minister who has a vested interest in causing mischief among republicans. His job is to administer the Queen of England's writ in Ireland ... However, if he has any evidence to back up his claims, he should make it public," the Real IRA said. It is possible that a peak may have been reached in the incidence of gun crime. But that is by no means certain. Drug-related crimes quadrupled between 2004 and 2008 in Dublin and, as gangs competed to meet public demand and control distribution networks, they imported guns – lots of them. For two years now, the Central Statistics Office has recorded a drop in the number of drug-related crimes. The quantity of drugs seized has also fallen. These developments have been attributed to the recession and to falling incomes that have choked off public demand for so-called recreational drugs. As a result, armed thugs are competing in a declining market and attempting to assert their control in disadvantaged communities. There are no quick or easy fixes in such cases. A lack of educational and employment opportunities tempted many of these young people into crime in the first place. A gap in gang ranks is quickly filled. Addressing the cause, rather than the result, has been on the official agenda for years. But not enough progress has been made. And now those small advances may be rolled back as Government cutbacks come into force. This would be a serious and short-sighted mistake. Young families in these areas require special, co-ordinated services to help them break the generational spiral of crime. Confidence in law and order has to be fostered through intensive on-street policing. The Government’s four-year plan proposes a reduction in Garda numbers by 10 per cent. It will involve a loss of 1,500 members at a time when pressure on the force is likely to intensify. Flexible rostering under the Croke Park deal is supposed to plug the gaps. That is a fudge. Greater civilianisation within the force has been talked about for years. Now it must be aggressively implemented to free up trained gardaí for on-street patrolling and frontline duties. Telegraph Nine men were being questioned by detectives on Saturday after bomb making equipment and handguns were seized in a series of police raids during an investigation into the activities of dissident Irish republicans. IrelandSelling Ulster down the river
Real Ira threaten to bomb bankersReal IRA says it will target UK bankers
Telegraph
Police hurt in pipe bomb explosion
Three police officers have been injured after a pipe bomb was thrown at them in Belfast.
Telegraph
How George V was received by the Irish in 1911
When George V visited Ireland for five days as part of his accession tour in July 1911, he was greeted with such rapture that commentators at the time suggested he might have solved the crisis over Home Rule at a stroke.
Irish man ordered to undertake religious pilgrimage
An Irish man was ordered by a judge to undertake a religious pilgrimage and climb the country's holiest mountain for charity in order to avoid jail
Saturday, 27 November 2010
The IRA bombed targets in the City during the 1990s. Now the Real IRA may use the same tactic. Photograph: Rex Features
Friday, November 26, 2010
The police officers were investigating a robbery at a bookmakers when the device exploded on the ground in front of them, spraying them with debris.
All three were taken to hospital but their injuries were not life-threatening. Two were later released and one male officer, , who sustained serious arm injuries, is due to have surgery on Saturday.
Police have appealed for a cyclist who was near the scene at the time of the explosion to come forward. A spokesman for the Police service of Northern Ireland said the robbery was still being investigated.
Chief Superintendent Alan Todd, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, described the incident as "a clear attempt to murder officers".
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "This was a clear attempt to murder officers.
"This could have been a mass murder investigation this morning, not only of officers at the scene but indeed the members of that community who were going about their normal business on what is a shopping street.
"This was an indiscriminate and reckless attack aimed at killing police officers but with complete disregard to what might have happened to members of that community."
Supt Todd said that the nature of the explosive device and the motive for the attack were not yet known.
"We don't believe it is connected to the robbery at this stage, although it is early days in the inquiry and that can't be ruled out," he said.
"As to the motive, given that the people responsible haven't come forward and explained to anybody what their objective is and why they think this serves anybody's needs, that wouldn't be for me to comment.
"What is clear is that the people responsible have complete disregard for the local people in the area and the wishes of the wider public."
It comes a week after a bomb was found packed into a beer keg under a railway bridge in Co Armagh before being destroyed in a controlled explosion.
The Daily Telegraph reported that “half the great fog of misunderstanding and suspicion that has brooded so long over the relations between England and Ireland has been cleared away in the seven-mile roar of welcome” that heralded the monarch’s arrival in Dublin.
Such optimism may have been tragically misplaced, but there was no denying the fervour with which the Irish people welcomed the King and Queen Mary.
Crowds lined the entire seven-mile route from Dublin Bay to the city centre, and the King reportedly told courtiers that the reception was “as warm-hearted and enthusiastic as any that he has ever received”.
The visit combined the pomp of state banquets and Royal processions with visits to Dublin’s slums and hospitals “to comfort the sick and poor”.
The Queen was presented with a court train of Irish point lace from the women of Belfast, and as he left Dublin Castle, the King wrote of his gratitude for the Irish people’s “spontaneous and hearty loyalty that has greatly touched our hearts” and looked forward to “coming amongst our Irish people again, and at no distant date”.
The men - aged 19 to 71 years old - were arrested followiong the operation across counties Louth, Waterford and Wexford on Friday afternoon.
Bomb-making components, a handgun and ammunition were seized during the raids.
Six men were arrested, including the eldest suspect, and are being held at Enniscorthy garda station.
Ammunition and a firearm were also recovered during the search of a house in Dunleer, Co Louth, and two men, aged 20 and 33, arrested.
A 27-year-old was detained in Wexford town, two men - aged 21 and 50 - are being questioned in New Ross, and two other suspects - 19 and 23 - were taken to Thomastown.
The ninth man, aged 27, was arrested in Waterford.
All of the suspects are being held under the provisions of Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. Gardai detectives now have 72 hours to question the men.
Gardai from specialist units assisted by local gardai from the South Eastern and Northern Regions were involved in the operation, which is ongoing.
In September the threat level to Great Britain from Irish-related terrorism was raised from moderate to substantial.
Telegraph
Joseph McElwee, 33, from Aughavennan, had been convicted of drunken behaviour and swearing at a police officer.
In September, Judge Seamus Hughes ordered McElwee to climb Croagh Patrick in the abused police officer's County Mayo.
This week, McElwee's solicitor gave the judge pictures showing him, his wife and a group of friends on top of the 2,500ft mountain where St Patrick fasted for 40 days in the fifth century, raising £2,500 for charity in the process.
The judge praised McElwee for his efforts, telling him: "I commend you for the way you have turned it around and taken the opportunity to raise money.
"Quite clearly there is a therapeutic exercise in climbing the reek (mountain) and the time spent up there to think.
"You deserved every commendation."
Politics with the cant taken out
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