Irish Republican Liberation Army

Infobox Organization
name = Irish Republican Liberation Army


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mcaption = Northern Ireland shown in Red
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formation = 2007-2008
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type = Paramilitary
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website = The Irish Republican Liberation Army (IRLA) is an Irish paramilitary "self-styled vigilante group" in support of a United Ireland. Although much of its origins are as of yet unknown, the IRLA had attracted attention with its threats of paramilitary action.Fact|date=September 2008

Origins

The IRLA is centred around Belfast in the Ardoyne area. [www.nisra.gov.uk] http://www.independentmonitoringcommission.org/documents/uploads/18.%20Eighteenth%20Report.pdf] The Irish News suggested that its membership were from a County Antrim family with Loyalist Volunteer Force connections, [Irish Republican Information Service, [https://lists.riseup.net/www/arc/rsfnews/2007-12/msg00005.html Irish Republican Information Service no. 130] , December 2007] while others have suggested they splintered from the Continuity IRA.Breen, Suzanne. Sunday Tribune, "Republicans face death threats as tensions grow", March 26 2007]

Threats

Following the deaths of two of its members in squabbles over firearms in November 2007, Ed Burns and Joe Jones, the former who was shot near the GAA St Galls' club in West Belfast and the latter who was beaten to death with a shovel in Ardoyne, the group threatened retribution against Republican Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Continuity IRA believed responsible for the deaths.

Also in November, the group claimed responsibility for the shotgun attack that wounded a police officer driving away from his son's school in Derry. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/13/europe/EU-GEN-NIreland-Police-Shot.php]

The Independent Monitoring Commission said the IRLA has a small arms collection, though it's threat is not "terrorist in nature."

On March 5, 2008, East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Tony McNulty if he would consider prohibiting the Irish Republican Liberation Army under the Terrorism Act 2000. McNulty gave a vague response that "As a matter of normal policy and practice we do not comment on organisations not on the proscribed list." [http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080305/text/80305w0002.htm]

References