Anyone on here able to explain the wider issues and politics around the quite long run rioting etc? SF are dismissing it as anti social behaviour, whipped up by the real IRA.
"The New IRA comprises of former factions of the Real IRA, Republican Action Against Drugs – which was based around Clady, Derry and Strabane – and seasoned republicans who had previously appeared to support the peace process but became active again.
"Other members include those who had stayed away from the Real IRA, the Continuity IRA and ONH (Oglaigh na hEireann) because of the infiltration of those groups by gardai and security agencies in the North.
"Many members have acquired counter-surveillance skills by attending courses in countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia and possibly Poland, according to intelligence sources.
"Most of them travel out under the guise of setting up supposedly legitimate security companies.
"The New IRA has also been developing its “engineering” side and manufacturing improvised explosive devices and attempting to open up new routes to buy guns.
"It was responsible in November 2012 for the murder of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black (52) on the M1 as he was driving to work at Maghaberry near Lisburn.
"Some of its members were also involved in the 2011 murder of PSNI constable Ronan Kerr and the earlier murders of off-duty British soldiers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar as they took delivery of a pizza outside Massereene barracks in Antrim.
"The New IRA has also been involved in several attempted killings and bombings in recent years. Its members are also behind a number of punishment beatings, which are at an all-time high in Belfast.
"These are now referred to as community controlled violence (CCV) and have resulted in five deaths in Northern Ireland in the past year.
"Gardai have kept a close watch on the movements of known New IRA activists, particularly during events such as the recent visit of Prince Charles.
"A new Belfast-based dissident republican political party, known as Saoradh, which has the support of New IRA prisoners in jails on both sides of the Border, was launched last September.
"Among those who attended its first ard fheis, held in Newry, was prominent dissident Colin Duffy.
"A tribute was paid in a Saoradh newsletter to Micky Barr, who was shot dead in the Sunset House pub in Summerhill, Dublin, during the Kinahan-Hutch feud in April last year.
"Saoradh also has a branch in Dublin."
New IRA the 'biggest terrorist threat to state since the Provos' - Independent.ie
