Republican dissident group claim Kerr death

A SELF-STYLED Republican dissident group purporting to be the IRA has said it blew up and killed Northern Irish policeman Ronan Kerr three weeks ago.

It also threatened to carry out more attacks under its new banner.

The organisation released a statement to the Belfast Telegraph and said it was made up of former members of the Provisional IRA and had been responsible for the murder of the PSNI constable.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson said those who issued the statement claiming responsibility for the attack were devoid of morals.

“Their adoption of military language to try to justify this act of cowardice is pitiful. Their mindless repetition of republican rhetoric shows they are dead from the neck up,” he said.

A 33-year-old man from Omagh has been charged in connection with Constable Kerr’s killing. He will appear before a court in Dungannon this morning.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the IRA was now confined to history and those who want to lay claim to its title should read the Proclamation of 1916 and understand there is no cause justifying their actions.

“What is for certain is that they are not the IRA — the IRA is now a matter of history.

“And what is for certain, especially as we approach the anniversary of the Easter Rising, is that they have no part to play whatsoever in the effort to bring about the Republic,” he said.

The statement came as fears grew about the intent of dissident republicans and their willingness to kill.

The PSNI called on the public to be vigilant against the threat of an Easter-time offensive by the various dissident groups looking for prominence at a high-profile time of the year for the North’s nationalist community.

The PSNI said it would introduce road-side checkpoints across the province.

Last night three men were in custody after a significant discovery of explosives and guns on the Monaghan-Armagh border at Keady.

One of the men was from the Castleblaney area and the other was reported to be from Monaghan town.

One of the trio was from the North. A major search operation was continuing on both sides of the border last night involving gardaí and the PSNI.

The bomb-making equipment and weapons were found in a car at a remote Co Armagh farmhouse, at about 5pm yesterday.