Hardline terrorists tried to coax guns from PIRA: report

HARDLINE republican terror groups tried to coax weapons from Provisional IRA members after the organisation announced an end to its armed campaign.

The IMC revealed in its latest report on paramilitary activity: “Following the PIRA statement of July 28, and before decommissioning was announced on September 26, dissident republicans approached members of PIRA who they believed might be disgruntled as a result of that statement, hoping to obtain weapons from them, but there has been no evidence of any success.”

The IMC said the Continuity IRA and Real IRA had sought to recruit since the Provisionals’ statement.

But the Real IRA, which carried out the 1998 Omagh bomb attack, had very limited success.

“CIRA has remained intermittently active during the period under review.

“Elements of the organisation are recruiting and training new members; the recruitment is possibly an attempt to take advantage of the opportunities they perceived to be presented to them by the PIRA statement,” the IMC said.

“Some existing CIRA members have received training. The organisation continues efforts to improve its capacities to use explosives and weapons, and to procure new weapons.”

The IMC said the CIRA remained a dangerous organisation. In July it was responsible for hoaxes and bomb attacks and took part in disturbances during Orange Order celebrations on July 12.

But the commission concluded it had not demonstrated recently it was capable of mounting a sustained campaign of violence.

The IMC said the Real IRA was seeking to improve its bomb-making capability and remained violent, dangerous and determined. The Irish National Liberation Army was also recruiting and training members, it said.