Re: Real IRA - Desparate Times, Desparate Measures

Date: 8th Aug '01

Name: A. Shaw

It is fairly obvious that once the IRA went on ceasefire in 1994 many of the touts would be re-designated to the dissident groups. primarily the 'Real IRA'. Certainly in South, the Gardai have enjoyed unprecedented success against physical force republicanism. They make no secret and rather enjoy the knowledge, that the information leading to arrests came from 'tip-offs'. On top of that, not only is the real IRA small in itself, it lacks other vital stablising factors that make it, and all other small groups like it all to vulnerable to penetration and thus -manipulation.

One, it's analysis is seriously flawed, and therefore has no strategy, but to keep 'banging away'. Which means it can be pulled around, pulled this way and that, by the agenda of all others, particularly the Brits. Two, it lacks a serious base of support within nationalism, to which it could be held to account. On the one hand this makes operations difficult to mount, a lack of logistics, safe houses etc. The frustration, desperation and bitterness that emanated from a failure of analysis essentially, invariably leads to a reckless indifference to nationalist opinion. Witness the thinking behind Omagh for instance.

How vulnerable that leaves it, is proved by the infiltration of the real IRA at Army Council level leading the arrest of McKevitt who was apparently Chief of Staff. Something similar happened to the INLA where an M15 operative refused a invitation to join the Army Council safe in the knowledge his organisation was already well represented!

Such manipulation is almost always the fate of 'terrorist' organisations which over-reach either militarily or politically. The INLA after the hunger-strike and the Red Brigades in Italy are examples of looking to recruit without too many scruples in order to expand, and being so secretive no body at the end of the day knew what was going on. This as it happened with the Red Brigades included the nominal leadership. One Red Brigade leader speaking from prison demanded a public inquiry simply to find out 'what we were actually doing'.

So you can see, the comment "riddled with informers" is not a slur, and might never be proven as fact, (as the state witholds such data long after everyone is dead) but looking at how the Real IRA operates and more to the point WHEN it operates it is safe to say it's agenda and the agenda of who SF refers to as the 'securocrats' are twinned.

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