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| IRA still exists but in 'much reduced form', says official report | IRA still exists but in 'much reduced form', says official report |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Provisional IRA still exists albeit in a “much reduced form”, according to a new “make or break” report into ongoing paramilitary activities in Northern Ireland. | The Provisional IRA still exists albeit in a “much reduced form”, according to a new “make or break” report into ongoing paramilitary activities in Northern Ireland. |
| However, the Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, stressed on Tuesday that the PIRA of the Troubles was “well beyond recall” – a comment that suggests the republican paramilitary group does not pose a threat to the overall peace process. | However, the Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, stressed on Tuesday that the PIRA of the Troubles was “well beyond recall” – a comment that suggests the republican paramilitary group does not pose a threat to the overall peace process. |
| Introducing the report written by three legal and security experts, Villiers told the House of Commons that the PIRA’s army council – the organisation’s supreme decision making body – also still exists. | Introducing the report written by three legal and security experts, Villiers told the House of Commons that the PIRA’s army council – the organisation’s supreme decision making body – also still exists. |
| The reports authors, including Lord Carlile, successive governments’ reviewer of anti-terrorist legislation in the UK, have focused heavily on the murder of ex-PIRA prisoner Kevin McGuigan in August. | The reports authors, including Lord Carlile, successive governments’ reviewer of anti-terrorist legislation in the UK, have focused heavily on the murder of ex-PIRA prisoner Kevin McGuigan in August. |
| Related: Death of an assassin: how the killing of Kevin McGuigan reawakened Belfast’s political strife | Related: Death of an assassin: how the killing of Kevin McGuigan reawakened Belfast’s political strife |
| His killing prompted the current political crisis at Stormont particularly after Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable, George Hamilton, said individual IRA members killed McGuigan in retaliation for the murder of their IRA colleague Gerard “Jock” Davison in May. | His killing prompted the current political crisis at Stormont particularly after Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable, George Hamilton, said individual IRA members killed McGuigan in retaliation for the murder of their IRA colleague Gerard “Jock” Davison in May. |
| Hamilton stressed that the murder was not sanctioned by the IRA leadership – an assessment that many republican sources and long term observers of republicanism regarded as incredulous given the organisation’s reputation for centralised leadership and discipline. | Hamilton stressed that the murder was not sanctioned by the IRA leadership – an assessment that many republican sources and long term observers of republicanism regarded as incredulous given the organisation’s reputation for centralised leadership and discipline. |
| The security assessment for the three independent figures chosen to write the report – Carlile, Rosalie Flanagan and Stephen Shaw QC – is based on briefings from both MI5 and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. | The security assessment for the three independent figures chosen to write the report – Carlile, Rosalie Flanagan and Stephen Shaw QC – is based on briefings from both MI5 and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. |
| Among its other findings are that while PIRA took part in an arms decommissioning process between 2001 and 2005, “It continues to have access to some weapons”. | Among its other findings are that while PIRA took part in an arms decommissioning process between 2001 and 2005, “It continues to have access to some weapons”. |
| The report’s authors emphasise that the PIRA had not tried to procure any new weapons since 2011. It also finds that PIRA members are gathering intelligence on dissident republicans and still seeking out informers from within their own ranks. | The report’s authors emphasise that the PIRA had not tried to procure any new weapons since 2011. It also finds that PIRA members are gathering intelligence on dissident republicans and still seeking out informers from within their own ranks. |
| In terms of its leadership, the report concludes that the PIRA’s army council oversees the overall political strategy of the republican movement, including Sinn Féin. This will provoke claims from Sinn Féin’s opponents not only within Northern Ireland but also the Irish Republic that the party has to answer to a secretive, unelected militarily-structured seven-person leadership. | In terms of its leadership, the report concludes that the PIRA’s army council oversees the overall political strategy of the republican movement, including Sinn Féin. This will provoke claims from Sinn Féin’s opponents not only within Northern Ireland but also the Irish Republic that the party has to answer to a secretive, unelected militarily-structured seven-person leadership. |
| On the crucial question of the McGuigan murder, the report agrees with the analysis of Hamilton that while individual PIRA members carried out the execution-style killing of their one-time comrade the fatal shooting was not sanctioned at leadership level. Overall the report points out that the PIRA and its leadership remained wedded to the peaceful political strategy of Sinn Féin. | On the crucial question of the McGuigan murder, the report agrees with the analysis of Hamilton that while individual PIRA members carried out the execution-style killing of their one-time comrade the fatal shooting was not sanctioned at leadership level. Overall the report points out that the PIRA and its leadership remained wedded to the peaceful political strategy of Sinn Féin. |
| The report also investigated the continued existence of other paramilitary groups including the Ulster loyalist paramilitaries. It found that despite claiming to decommission its weapons in 2010 the Ulster Defence Association also holds onto some arms. The report said the same was the case for the other main loyalist terror group, the Ulster Volunteer Force. | |
| Members of both organisations continued to be engaged in crime including drug dealing while the rival Loyalist Volunteer Force only exists now purely as a criminal enterprise operating in the Antrim and Mid Ulster areas. | |
| The findings about the loyalists prompted Alliance Party Assembly man Trevor Lunn to challenge unionist politicians to “need to seriously reflect on the findings around loyalist paramilitaries” and that they need to “clarify their positions urgently”. |