Chronology of Provisional Irish Republican Army actions (2000-2010)

This is a chronology of activities by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), an Irish republican paramilitary group from 2000 to 2010, in the aftermath of the Northern Ireland Troubles

2000

• April 2000: An IRA active service unit was intercepted by police in Dublin and two members were arrested. The unit is believed to have been on its way to execute notorious Dublin criminal and drug lord Martin Foley.^[1]
• 30 April 2000: Thomas Byrne was allegedly shot dead by the IRA in central Dublin.^[2]
• 29 May 2000: A suspected drug dealer was shot dead in Dunmurry, County Antrim. Police blamed the IRA for the shooting.^[3][4]
• 29 September 2000: A suspected drug dealer was shot dead in a bar in Magherafelt shortly after the IRA had ordered him to the leave the area.^[3][4]
• 13 October 2000: A "Real IRA" member, Joseph O'Connor was shot dead while sitting in his car in the Ballymurohy area of Belfast. The IRA are believed to have been responsible.^[3][4]

2001

• 7 January 2001: The IRA was blamed for carrying out a punishment beating on a convicted criminal in Ballymurphy, Belfast.^[5]
• 21 April 2001: A major drug dealer was shot dead at his Derry home by four gunmen. It is believed that the IRA was responsible.^[3][6]
• 14 July 2001: Gangland figure Seamus "Shavo" Hogan a close associate of Martin Cahill was gunned down in Crumlin, Dublin. It is claimed that the IRA is responsible.^[2]

2002

• 8 September 2002: The IRA was blamed for carrying out a punishment beating on a 20-year-old South Armagh man.^[7]
• 11 October 2002: A five man IRA unit was captured by Gardaí in Bray, County Wicklow. It is believed the unit, members of the Dublin Brigade, were on their way to carry out an armed hijacking. The men were in a small van and dressed in Garda uniforms, they also had stun-guns and CS gas.^[8][9][10]

2003

• 13 January 2003: The IRA were blamed for punishment attack on a leading member of the Continuity IRA in Downpatrick, County Down.^[11]
• 12 March 2003: IRA member, Keith Rogers, was shot dead in South Armagh during a shootout involving a number of feuding IRA members. The IRA admitted Rogers was a member but claimed he had been shot confronting local criminals.^[3][12]
• 11 October 2003: The IRA were allegedly responsible for the kidnapping of dissident republican, Brendan Rice, in Newcastle, County Down.^[13][14]

2004

• 19 January 2004: A dissident republican who was shot in the ankles in a punishment shooting blamed the Provisional IRA for the attack. The man from west Belfast was a member of an organisation which provided support to the families of imprisoned Real IRA (RIRA) members .^[15]
• 20 February 2004: The IRA were accused of being responsible for the kidnap and attempted murder of ex-Irish National Liberation Army member Bobby Tohill. The van in which he was being transported was rammed by police and four men were arrested. The IRA stated that it had not authorised any action against the man in question. Mr. Tohill required 93 stitches following the ordeal and has since gone into hiding.^[16]
• 5 September 2004: The IRA is believed to have been responsible for a fire-bomb attack on a fuel depot in south Belfast.^[17]

2005

• 2 February 2005: The IRA issued a statement summarizing their "ambitious initiatives designed to develop or save the peace process", including three occasions in which they had complied with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning in putting weapons beyond use. The statement went on to say, "At this time it appears that the two governments are intent on changing the basis of the peace process. They claim that 'the obstacle now to a lasting and durable settlement… is the continuing terrorist and criminal activity of the IRA'. We reject this. It also belies the fact that a possible agreement last December was squandered by both governments pandering to rejectionist unionism instead of upholding their own commitments and honouring their own obligations." The statement concluded with two points: "We are taking all our proposals off the table" and"It is our intention to closely monitor ongoing developments and to protect to the best of our ability the rights of republicans and our support base".^[18]
• 3 February 2005: Following statements from the British and Irish governments, claiming that the new IRA statement was no cause for alarm, the IRA issues a second two-sentence statement: "The two governments are trying to play down the importance of our statement because they are making a mess of the peace process. Do not underestimate the seriousness of the situation".^[19]
• 10 February 2005: The Independent Monitoring Commission reports that it firmly supports the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Garda assessments that the PIRA was responsible for the Northern Bank robbery and recommends financial and political sanctions against Sinn Féin.^[20]
• 6 April 2005: Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams calls on the IRA to initiate consultations "as quickly as possible" to move from being a paramilitary organisation to one committed to purely non-military methods.^[21]
• 12 April 2005: A Dublin man, Joseph Rafferty, was shot and killed in a shotgun attack in west Dublin. The IMC and the family of the deceased have claimed that the IRA were responsible. The IRA has denied any involvement.^[22]
• May 2005: The IRA is believed to have been responsible for intimidating a family to leave their home in Belfast.^[23]
• 24 May 2005: The Independent Monitoring Commission claimed the IRA were still recruiting and training new members, and it was still involved in paramilitary and criminal activity.^[24]
• July 2005: The IMC blamed the IRA for a punishment shooting of an alleged criminal in early July.^[23]
• 28 July 2005: The IRA release a statement that it is ending its armed campaign and will verifiably put its arms beyond use.^[25]
• 26 September 2005: International weapons inspectors issue a statement confirming the full decommissioning of the IRA's weaponry.^[26]

2006

IRA Colour Party in Dublin - 2009

• 1 February 2006: International weapons inspectors believe that not all arms were decommissioned on the day the IRA decommissioned. Claims began to circulate that the IRA held onto handguns and various other weapons.^[27]
• 10 March 2006: The IMC claimed that members of the IRA were responsible for the hijacking of a lorry containing a consignment of spirits in County Meath.^[28]

2007

• 14 March 2007: An IRA member was arrested and jailed for IRA membership. The man had been arrested in relation to the Northern bank robbery and at the time of his detention was in possession of €94,000.^[29][30]

2008

• 31 July 2008: The 32 County Sovereignty Movement (often considered the political arm of the Real IRA), accused the IRA of assaulting one of their members in Derry, leaving the man with serious head and facial injuries.^[31]

2010

• 9 February 2010: A representative of the IRA using the pseudonym "P. O'Neill" issued a statement confirming that Belfast man Joe Lynksey was "executed" by the organisation in 1972. The statement said that the man had been an IRA member and was "court-martialled for breaches of IRA standing orders" and "was subsequently executed and buried in an unmarked grave." The statement went on to say that Lynskey had an affair with the wife of a Belfast republican and had ordered another IRA member to shoot the man. The IRA said it had not identified Lynskey's grave.^[32]
• 13 February 2010: The Garda Síochana said they were satisfied that an AK-47 assault rifle which was recovered in a raid in Cork City belonged to the Provisional IRA.^[33]
• March 2010: Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) MLA for Newry & Armagh, Dominic Bradley, claimed that the IRA were responsible for a recent punishment shooting in the town of Meigh and an armed robbery in Armagh during which shots were fired.^[34]
• August 2010: The 32 County Sovereignty Movement, the Republican Network for Unity and the UPRG, claimed that the IRA were responsible for a shooting incident in the Gobnascale area of Derry. It is claimed that up to 20 masked men, some armed with handguns, attacked a group of teenagers who were engaging in anti-social behaviour at an interface area. A number of the teenagers were attacked and shots were fired into the air. The men are then reported to have removed their masks when the PSNI arrived and were subsequently identified as members of the Republican Movement. Sinn Féin denied the IRA were involved.^[35][36][37]

2011

• 29 March 2011: A hunter found a Troubles-era improvised grenade launcher, black powder and a detonator abandoned years ago by the IRA in Ballinamore, County Leitrim. The devices were removed by the Gardai and an Irish Army disposal team.^[38]

• 20 June 2011: Jim Wilson and a number of other members of the unionist community claimed that the Provisional IRA was responsible for shooting two loyalist rioters in the legs during a UVF-led attack on the nationalist Short Strand area of Belfast. Alex Maskey denied that the IRA were responsible for the shooting.^[39]

• 02 July 2011: An alleged member of the Provisional IRA was arrested for questioning over the stabbing of a man suspected of being linked to dissident republicans in the Markets area of Belfast. ^{[40] [41]}

• 17 July 2011: The Provisional IRA was blamed for sending letters containing death threats and bullets to six men in Derry City. The six men, who are suspected of involvement in drug dealing, were told they had 24 hours to leave the area or they would be shot. All six subsequently fled the city. The father of one of the men claimed he had spoken with a number of dissident groups and local residents and they had all indicated that it was the IRA, and not dissidents, who were behind the threats. ^[42]

See also

• Timeline of Continuity Irish Republican Army actions
• Timeline of Real Irish Republican Army actions
• Timeline of Irish National Liberation Army actions
• Timeline of Ulster Volunteer Force actions
• Timeline of Ulster Defence Association actions
• Timeline of Ulster Defence Regiment operations
• Timeline of the Northern Ireland Troubles

Notes

1. ^ "RTÉ News: Foley interviewed by Gardaí following attempt on his life". Rte.ie. 2000-09-13. http://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0913/viper.html. 
2. ^ ^{a b} http://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2007/oct/28/gunned-down/ Gunned Down
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} "The IRA has not gone away, you know". Irish Examiner. 12 March 2005. http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2005/03/12/story739523875.asp. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} "CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. 1999-10-10. http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/chron/2000.html. 
5. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/jan/07/northernireland.henrymcdonald
6. ^ "CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/chron/2001.html. 
7. ^ http://www.independent.ie/national-news/victims-of-punishment-beatings-only-14-years-old-503665.html
8. ^ "Ó Snodaigh baffled about election posters". Rte.ie. 2005-02-21. http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0221/ira.html. 
9. ^ Birth of a Nation. "Sinn Féin-IRA agents spied on McCreevy". Independent.ie. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sinn-feinira-agents-spied-on-mccreevy-486527.html. 
10. ^ 07/10/2004 - 17:31:38. "Special Branch head 'believes men were in IRA'". Breakingnews.ie. http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/special-branch-head-believes-men-were-in-ira-169990.html. 
11. ^ "'Mixed grill' attacks are all about turf war - MLA". The News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland). 13 January 2003. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7950/is_2003_Jan_13/ai_n33384346/?tag=content;col1. ^{[dead link]}
12. ^ "CAIN: Issues: Violence - Draft List of Deaths Related to the Conflict in 2003". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/violence/deaths2003draft.htm. 
13. ^ "UK | Northern Ireland | Abducted man released". BBC News. 2003-10-12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3184812.stm. 
14. ^ 13/10/2003 - 11:47:47 (2003-10-13). "Police question man over abduction". BreakingNews.ie. http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/police-question-man-over-abduction-117096.html. 
15. ^ http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/NEWS/january_2004.htm#provos_attack_campaigner
16. ^ Baby blues (2004-02-26). "Sinn Féin warned that time running out for end to paramilitary violence - National News, Frontpage". Independent.ie. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sinn-fein-warned-that-time-running-out-for-end-to-paramilitary-violence-186316.html. 
17. ^ 24/05/2005 - 11:21:03 (2005-05-24). "IRA still active - IMC report". BreakingNews.ie. http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/05/24/story203997.html. 
18. ^ "IRA statement: 2 February 2005". BBC. 18 July 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4074652.stm. 
19. ^ "Concern over new IRA warning". CNN. 4 February 2005. http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/02/04/nireland/index.html?eref=sitesearch. 
20. ^ "Fourth Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission" (PDF). Independent Monitoring Commission. 10 February 2005. http://www.independentmonitoringcommission.org/documents/uploads/HC%20308.pdf. 
21. ^ "Text of Adams speech in full". BBC. 6 April 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4417575.stm. 
22. ^ 20 best... (2006-02-01). "IMC report to link Joseph Rafferty's murder to Provos - National News, Frontpage". Independent.ie. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/imc-report-to-link-joseph-raffertys-murder-to-provos-110776.html. 
23. ^ ^{a b} "318283_HC546_7th Report" (PDF). http://www.independentmonitoringcommission.org/documents/uploads/7th%20%20IMC%20%20Report.pdf. 
24. ^ David McKittrick (25 May 2005). "IRA still recruiting and robbing banks, says commission". London: The Independent. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/ulster/article223066.ece. 
25. ^ "Full text: IRA statement". London: The Guardian. 28 July 2005. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,1537996,00.html. 
26. ^ "IRA 'has destroyed all its arms'". BBC. 26 September 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4283444.stm. 
27. ^ Mark Oliver (1 February 2006). "IRA 'still involved in crime'". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,1699736,00.html. 
28. ^ http://www.independentmonitoringcommission.org/documents/uploads/ACFEF3.pdf
29. ^ "Bullman gets four years for IRA membership". Rte.ie. 2007-03-14. http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0314/bullmand.html?rss. 
30. ^ 18/02/2005 - 17:57:43 (2005-02-18). "Gardaí step up money laundering investigation". Breakingnews.ie. http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2005/0218/ireland/gardai-step-up-money-laundering-investigation-189983.html. 
31. ^ "Dissidents blame 'Provo gang' for weekend assault., Derry Journal, 1 August 2008". Encyclopedia.com. 2008-08-01. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-182228078.html. 
32. ^ "Forty years later, IRA finally admits to man’s ‘execution’". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 2010-02-09. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/forty-years-later-ira-finally-admits-to-manrsquos-lsquoexecutionrsquo-14673172.html. 
33. ^ "AK-47 ‘belonged to Provisional IRA’". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 2010-02-13. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/ak47-lsquobelonged-to-provisional-irarsquo-14680770.html#ixzz0fNdRYRuW. 
34. ^ "Provos Warlords Have Not Gone Away SDLP Website 30 March 2010". Sdlp.ie. http://www.sdlp.ie/ga/index.php/newsroom_media/newsarticle/bradley_provo_warlords_have_not_gone_away/. 
35. ^ http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/Were-Provos-behind-shooting-incident.6558729.jp Were Provos behind shooting incident in Gobnascale? Londonderry Sentinel
36. ^ http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/39Mainstream39-republicans-blamed-for-Gobnascale.6467389.jpMainstream Republicans blamed for Gobnascale Indident
37. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tbxvj The Nolan Show Radio Foyle 9 August 2010
38. ^ 'Hunter finds Provisional IRA rocket launcher hidden in field' by Tom Brady . The Irirsh Independent, 30 March 2011
39. ^ The Nolan Show, BBC Ulster, 21 June 2011
40. ^ http://www.independent.ie/national-news/in-brief-ira-suspect-in-mccartney-killing-arrested-after-stabbing-at-weekend-2811977.html IRA suspect in McCartney killing arrested after stabbing at weekend
41. ^ http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/breen/arts2011/jul11_Joe_Henry_family__SBreen_Daily-Mirror.php Sisters claim McCartney killer stabbed their brother
42. ^ "Who Forced My Son to Flee?", Paula Mackin, Sunday World (NI Edition), 17th July 2011