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22/10/2002
Real IRA warns it will target security forces
The Real IRA prisoners who have been waiting for an answer to their call for the group's leadership to stand down last week, appeared to have got their response yesterday.
A caller claiming to represent the Real IRA, and using a recognised code word, telephoned the Derry Journal newspaper last night with a clear message that further attacks would take place.
The caller said: "We warn all civilians to stay away from military installations and Crown force personnel. Anyone entering military installations does so at their own risk."
The statement followed a day of disruption caused by security alerts in Belfast, Lurgan and at the Belfast International Airport.
The split within the Real IRA became visible at the weekend when the terror group's prisoners in Portlaoise and English jails issued a collective statement calling on the "Army leadership to stand down with ignominy". They accuse the current leadership of engaging in racketeering rather than pursuing the "struggle".
The statement read: "We feel duty bound to state that this Army leadership's financial motivations far outweigh their current political commitment to our struggle at this time.
"[Real] IRA prisoners find this morally and politically unacceptable. We believe that the current Army leadership has forfeited all moral authority to lead the [Real] IRA."
The prisoners went on to restate their opposition to the Good Friday Agreement. They also scotched rumours in the press that the group would offer a fig leaf in order to win early release for prisoners. The statement added that they had not "entered into negotiations with any government regarding the early release of political prisoners".
The Real IRA had telephoned the Derry Journal at the end of August claiming the murder of civilian contractor David Caldwell. The 51-year-old died on August 1 at Caw Territorial Army base in Limavady when a booby-trap device he picked up exploded.
The murder drew widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum, with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness describing the killing as "absolutely and totally wrong".
The method was similar to previous attacks at security force bases in the area. In a similar incident in February this year, a civilian worker was seriously injured after an explosion at the perimeter fencing of Magilligan army base.
Since the Omagh bombing in 1998, when the dissident group (allegedly in cooperation with the Continuity IRA) killed 29 people and wounded 330 others, the Real IRA has officially been on ceasefire. However, the dissident group has been linked to a number of attacks, including a series of bombings in London and mortar attacks on police stations in the west of the province.
(GMcG)
A caller claiming to represent the Real IRA, and using a recognised code word, telephoned the Derry Journal newspaper last night with a clear message that further attacks would take place.
The caller said: "We warn all civilians to stay away from military installations and Crown force personnel. Anyone entering military installations does so at their own risk."
The statement followed a day of disruption caused by security alerts in Belfast, Lurgan and at the Belfast International Airport.
The split within the Real IRA became visible at the weekend when the terror group's prisoners in Portlaoise and English jails issued a collective statement calling on the "Army leadership to stand down with ignominy". They accuse the current leadership of engaging in racketeering rather than pursuing the "struggle".
The statement read: "We feel duty bound to state that this Army leadership's financial motivations far outweigh their current political commitment to our struggle at this time.
"[Real] IRA prisoners find this morally and politically unacceptable. We believe that the current Army leadership has forfeited all moral authority to lead the [Real] IRA."
The prisoners went on to restate their opposition to the Good Friday Agreement. They also scotched rumours in the press that the group would offer a fig leaf in order to win early release for prisoners. The statement added that they had not "entered into negotiations with any government regarding the early release of political prisoners".
The Real IRA had telephoned the Derry Journal at the end of August claiming the murder of civilian contractor David Caldwell. The 51-year-old died on August 1 at Caw Territorial Army base in Limavady when a booby-trap device he picked up exploded.
The murder drew widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum, with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness describing the killing as "absolutely and totally wrong".
The method was similar to previous attacks at security force bases in the area. In a similar incident in February this year, a civilian worker was seriously injured after an explosion at the perimeter fencing of Magilligan army base.
Since the Omagh bombing in 1998, when the dissident group (allegedly in cooperation with the Continuity IRA) killed 29 people and wounded 330 others, the Real IRA has officially been on ceasefire. However, the dissident group has been linked to a number of attacks, including a series of bombings in London and mortar attacks on police stations in the west of the province.
(GMcG)
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