The IRA has not gone away, you know
Alleged drug dealers, former members who spoke out, and those who faced down senior IRA personnel have been shot or stabbed to death. 'P O'Neill's' revelation this week that the IRA offered to shoot those allegedly involved in the murder of Robert McCartney was met with amazement and outrage. But shooting people, killing or maiming, is what the on-ceasefire IRA have been doing for the last 10 years.
It's just that the killings have been denied, or done under a cover name, or the political will was missing to attack Sinn Féin or those murdered did not have Robert McCartney's five sisters. Most were sanctioned, some were not, leading to internal disciplinary measures taken against members. The numbers killed are far less than those in 70s, 80s and early 90s, and, until Robert McCartney was killed five weeks' ago, members had not been implicated in any death for about 18 months.
Also, loyalists of various shades have killed far more people in the same period, mainly in internal feuds and sectarian assassinations. Four people was killed last year as a result of the security situation, by far the lowest in the history of the Troubles. None were killed by the IRA, though dissident Bobby Tohill only narrowly escaped after being abducted by an IRA gang. However, paramilitaries continue to exercise control of areas through the use of punishment attacks.
According to the PSNI, republicans carried out 23 shootings and 41 assaults last year. This year, four shootings and six assaults were blamed on various republican groupings. The majority of the attacks were carried out on the orders of the IRA, while others were blamed on the INLA.
Again, loyalist groups were responsible for a larger number of punishment attacks, 89 shootings and 75 assaults last year. Since 1994, republican groups have carried out 312 shootings and 740 punishment beatings. John Breslin reports.
2003
October
James McGinley - stabbed to death in Derry. Bart Fisher, an IRA member who acted as a bodyguard for senior Sinn Féin members, was convicted of his manslaughter. Killing was not sanctioned but there were claims of intimidation in the lead-up to the trial and calls from the family to have him thrown out of the IRA.
Gareth O'Connor - missing, presumed abducted and killed by the IRA. The 24-year-old was facing charges of Real IRA membership at the time of his death but it is believed his murder had more to do with a dispute over money. The IRA denies responsibility for his abduction.
Keith Rogers - shot dead in a shoot-out in south Armagh between feuding members of the PIRA in March, 2003. He is thought to have been part of an IRA team dispatched to quell dissent among members.
Matthew Burns - an alleged drug dealer, shot dead sitting in his car in Castlewellan. IRA alleged to have sanctioned his killing.
Christopher O'Kane - a major drug dealer in the north-west, the 37-year-old was executed by a four- man gang near his home in Derry.
Joe O'Connor - a 26-year-old member of the Real IRA shot dead in a car parked outside his mother's house in Ballymurphy, west Belfast.
Patrick Quinn - a 32-year-old father-of-three shot dead inside a bar in Magharafelt, Co Derry. A suspected drug dealer, he had earlier been told to leave the area by the IRA.
Ed McCoy - a suspected dealer, the 28-year-old was fatally wounded inside a south Belfast bar.
His death caused political waves after the IRA was linked by senior police to the murder.
Charles Bennett - 22-year-old found shot dead in the carpark of a GAA club in west Belfast. Widely believed to have been killed by the IRA during a botched punishment attack.
Paul Downey - abducted from a hotel in Newry, the suspected drug dealer's body was found by the road near Beleek in south Armagh.
Brendan Fagan - drug dealer shot dead in a bar in Newry, Co Down.
Eamon Collins - former IRA member stabbed and beaten to death after speaking against the organisation and writing insider account, Killing Rage.
Andrew Kearney - beaten, shot and left to die in a lift in a tower block in north Belfast. His family claim he was killed after squaring up to a leading IRA man from north Belfast.
Brendan Campbell - a 30-year-old convicted drug dealer shot dead outside a restaurant in south Belfast.
John Devine - shot dead at a friend's house in Friendly Street in the Markets in south Belfast. Murder claimed by Direct Action Against Drugs (DAAD), a group of gunmen operating with IRA approval and including its own members. The first ceasefire ended in February 1996.
Ian Lyons - died a day after being shot while sitting in a parked car outside a friend's house in Lurgan. Claimed by DAAD.
Martin McCrory - small-time dealer shot dead at his home in Turf Lodge, west Belfast. Claimed by DAAD.
Chris Johnston - 38-year-old shot dead at his home off the Ormeau Road in south Belfast. Claimed by DAAD.
Francis Collins - a former member of the IRA, was shot dead at his chip shop in the New Lodge, north Belfast. While claimed by DAAD, his family said he was killed because of a disagreement with a local IRA boss.
Paul Devine - 35-year-old alleged drug dealer shot dead on the street in south Belfast. His murder was blamed on the IRA, after which the organisation used the DAAD cover name.
Tony Kane - shot dead in a car in Andersonstown, west Belfast. Motive unclear, but likely drug-related.
Mickey Mooney - cannabis dealer shot dead in the 18 Steps bar in Belfast city centre.
Frank Kerr - postal worker shot dead in an armed robbery in Newry, Co Down. The first fatality blamed on the IRA after its ceasefire.
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