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Republican terror groups seen linked

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By Jack Holland

The distinctions between the republican organizations that are opposed to the peace process are rapidly fading, according to reliable sources, who see a merging of the Continuity IRA, the Real IRA and the Irish National Liberation Army, at least at an operational level. They assert that it is likely that the Omagh bombing, which killed 29 people last August and was claimed by the RIRA, in fact also involved the CIRA.

Last May, the Irish Echo revealed that the three groups had held secret talks about the possibility of joining forces.

The recent charging of Colm Murphy, a building contractor and businessman, in connection with the bombing — the worst in the history of the Northern Ireland conflict — has highlighted this trend. Murphy, who was charged last week with membership of an illegal organization and conspiracy to cause explosions, had been sentenced to four years in prison in New York in 1982 for attempting to export arms. Police say that the arms were destined for the INLA. Allegations that Murphy is chief of staff of CIRA have been denied by sources close to that organization.

Murphy, who lived in New York for several years before his arrest, was charged after an FBI sting operation, according to republican sources. At the time, the INLA, under the leadership of Dominic McGlinchey, was attempting to open new arms supply routes. In 1981, it succeeded in smuggling a dozen rifles into Ireland. But subsequent U.S.-based attempts failed.

"Murphy was a loner," said a republican source who knew him in the early 1980s in New York. He was said to be "outside the circle" of the Provisional IRA support network. But, said one, he was "totally and completely committed" to the republican cause. Murphy’s sister is married to a well-known New York bar owner.

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The instability of the broader republican movement is causing concern to the authorities as republican activists become increasingly concerned at the prospect of a Provisional IRA handover of weapons, in spite of repeated denials from Sinn Fein that it will concede to decommissioning demands. Recently, it was learned that a leading Provisional IRA man from the West of Ireland has joined the RIRA and played an important role in that organization’s attempted robbery of a security van last January near Dalkey. Shots were fired by the heavily armed gang. The attempt failed after a getaway car broke down. However, the gang escaped with some £80,000.

Shortly after the raid, it was revealed that the CIRA had possession of new weaponry, including a grenade launcher.

"They are pooling their expertise," said an Irish government source of the INLA, CIRA and RIRA. Fears are that the dissidents will attempt a spectacular at or around March 10, the date marked for the transfer of powers from Westminster to the new Northern Ireland executive.

"There is pressure on them to do something before March 10," a reliable source said.

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