NEW IRA CONDEMNED AS PATHETIC GROUP IN BORDER ATTACK THREAT DURING TV INTERVIEW
THE New IRA have been condemned as “irrelevant and pathetic” after threatening to attack any customs infrastructure that appears on the Irish border.
In an interview with Channel 4 News’ chief correspondent Alex Thompson, a masked figure spoke on camera from an undisclosed location in the Republic of Ireland.
With his words voiced by an actor, he said any structures appearing on the border after Brexit would be regarded as a “legitimate target”.
He also apologised on behalf of the dissident group for the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, but rejected criticism about their lack of community support and recruitment of vulnerable young men.
He added that the group considered the Good Friday Agreement to be dead, being overwritten by subsequent agreements like St Andrew’s and Hillsborough.
The SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly, a Policing Board member, said the interview made for “depressing” viewing.
“The last Chief Constable George Hamilton had urged caution around border infrastructure, saying it would be a magnet for violent dissident republicans,” she said.
“He didn’t pluck this out of the air, it’s based on intelligence, so I think this interview confirms those concerns.
“I think everyone will be very shocked, I’m quite sure. For too many of us, it will be a case of deja vu to see masked balaclava-clad men threatening violence and trying to rationalise their actions.”
She added: “There are some who were engaged in violence in the past who say it didn’t get us anywhere, there’s not enough people saying that.
“Like many, I find it very depressing that there are still those in our midst who would advocate violence and what can only be called acts of evil.
“There are too many young men in prison who bought into their narrative. In my own constituency, young people have been imprisoned recently. Their lives have been wasted and I just hope they would heed that warning.”
Jonathan Powell was Tony Blair’s chief negotiator in the talks before the Good Friday Agreement.
“This is a pathetic and irrelevant organisation that enjoys minimal political support,” he told Channel 4 News.
“They’re also militarily incompetent, they should just go away and give up. Unfortunately, they’ve been given oxygen by the Brexit process and that’s a mistake.”
He added: “This is an organisation made up of old lags like that who recruit young teenage boys to kill people or try to kill people.
“Luckily, they’re incompetent. Luckily, they have no support and won’t get any support unless a British Government did something very stupid that I don’t believe it will do.”
Asked if the New IRA would use bomb and gun attacks on any border infrastructure, the New IRA man said: “As in any colonial situation, people have the right to respond by all means necessary.”
Pressed on the group’s lack of legitimacy, he said the New IRA had more support in Ireland than the Conservative or Labour Party. He also dismissed the lack of mandate compared to mainstream political parties across Ireland.
“The political parties you reference are silent about the armed activities of the state,” he said. “So, therefore, the IRA will take no lectures on morality, or the futility of violence from those who remain morally in favour, if not tactically.”
Asked if the New IRA would apologise for the murder of Lyra McKee, he said: “Absolutely. We listened to calls from the republican base at the time; they rightly called for the IRA to take responsibility for the tragic loss of Lyra McKee’s life, to apologise.”