PSNI Policing Board to press for first ever MI5 briefing on current activities of IRA

Intead, the PCTF monitors the UVF, UDA and INLA, and publishes frequent media statements about successful operations against their criminality. However there are no media statements about operations against the IRA.

The PSNI previously revealed to the News Letter that the PCTF does not monitor the IRA - or dissident republicans - because both groups are considered to be a threat to national security, so they are monitored by MI5 and the PSNI Terrorist Investigations Unit - (TIU) instead. Policing Board members were not aware of the distinction in how the two categories of groups were monitored until the News Letter began asking questions about the issues in recent months.

However, unlike the PCTF, neither MI5 nor the TIU publish any media statements about successful operations against the IRA, which the Chief Constable Simon Byrne has confirmed is still engaged in terrorist activity - including murders - as well as major organised crime.

In 2020 the News Letter named 26 people understood to have been murdered by IRA members since the Good Friday Agreement, a list which still remain online without challenge and which is reproduced below.

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The DUP’s lead on the Policing Board, Trevor Clarke, says he requested - and has now been given - a briefing from the TIU on IRA  and dissident activity, since the News Letter highlighted the unit’s existence.

The entire briefing was focussed on national security, he said, but there was no mention of the organised crime activities of the IRA or dissidents.

“The TIU gave us a report for the last five years of the searches, charges and reports it has made, but this was not broken down by terror group, nor conviction rates,” Mr Clarke said.

“There was no indication that there is any focus on tackling any large scale criminality that these groups are involved in - so far as the briefing was concerned. That was my assessment.”

Traditionally, one of the most lucrative areas of criminality that the IRA has been involved in is smuggling - especially of fuel - with repeated allegations having been made that turning a blind eye to this sector was the price of peace. The News Letter has previously reported that even those convicted of such crime from republican areas never serve jail sentences and are only required to make restitution for the illicit fuel they are caught with, neither of which, critics say, amount to a deterrent.

Since drafted as part of the St Andrew’s Agreement in 2006, the Policing Board has been fully entitled to ask MI5 to give it a briefing about its work - although the News Letter can reveal that such a request has actually never been made.

“It is a bit like TIU,” Mr Clarke said. “We weren’t aware of this option until it was uncovered. We made the request to the TIU and they came and there are some unanswered questions which we hope to get answers on.

“We are happy to use these powers, which we were not aware of, to try and drill down into the facts. Because whilst fully justified, there has been a concentration against the UDA, UVF and INLA but there never seems to be the same focus on IRA operatives. I commend the PSNI for their work against all paramilitarism but it does seem that it doesn’t go far enough.

“Given that criminality doesn’t seem to be the focus too much on the TIU’s radar but more national security concerns, it would give me a lot of concerns.

“I would be concerned that policing against paramilitary criminality should be seen to be even handed across both communities, in order to instill cross-community confidence in policing.”

Mr Clarke said that, if re-elected as an MLA, he would now intend to request a briefing from MI5 on IRA activity.”If I am not re-elected I am certain the party itself will inevitably be following up with a request for this briefing from MI5,” he added. He would also want to hear MI5’s assessment of the current role of the IRA Army Council in directing Northern Ireland politicians and politics, he added.

The PSNI responded that the TIU monitors and investigates criminality conducted by any individuals acting as, or on behalf of, PIRA. 

“There are, and have been, investigations into organised crime where the suspects have previously been members of PIRA but are now operating as individuals and not as, or on behalf, of PIRA.”

The PSNI advised that the PCTF is currently proactively investigating six paramilitary organisations:

• East Belfast UVF

• West Belfast UDA

• North and West Belfast INLA

• North West INLA

• South East Antrim UDA

• North Antrim UDA

These groups are assessed as being involved in a range of criminality including; violent assaults and shootings, the supply and distribution of controlled drugs, blackmail (extortion), intimidation, money lending and money laundering.

Chief Constable Simon Byrne confirmed to the News Letter last year that the PSNI still stands over a 2015 assessment by MI5 and the PSNI for the Northern Ireland Office on paramilitary groups.

It found that the IRA, while “committed to the peace process” , still had members trying to identify informants and storing its remaining weaponry. They are also engaged in “criminal activity such as large scale smuggling, and there have been isolated incidents of violence, including murders”.

Sinn Fein and the SDLP were invited to comment.

In 2020 the News Letter named 26 people apparently murdered by IRA members since the Good Friday Agreement; No challenge has been made to this list, which still remains online and is reproduced below.

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Key peace process figures express views about 26 murders linked to IRA members since Good Friday Agreement

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THE 26 MURDERS LINKED TO IRA MEMBERS SINCE THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT;

2015:

Kevin McGuigan, 53, Belfast

2007:

Paul Quinn, 21, Castleblaney

2005:

Denis Donaldson, 56, Donegal

Robert McCartney, 33, Belfast

2003:

Gareth O’Connor, 24, south Armagh

Jimmy McGinley, 23, Londonderry

2002:

Mathew Burns, 26, Castlewellan

Brian McDonald, 51, Dungannon

2001:

Seamus ‘Shavo’ Hogan, 47, Dublin

Bobby McGuigan, 36, Lurgan

Kieran Smyth Curraha, Co Meath

Michael Magee, 34, Downpatrick

Paul Daly, 38, Belfast (DAAD)

Christopher O’Kane, 37, Londonderry

Mark Robinson, 22, Londonderry

2000

Edmund McCoy, 28, Dunmurry

Nicholas ‘Mad Nicky’ O’Hare, 34, Dundalk

Patrick Quinn, 32, Magherafelt

Joseph O’Connor, 26, Belfast

Trevor Kells, 35, Belfast

Thomas ‘Tomo’ Byrne, 41, Dublin

1999:

Eamon Collins, 45, Newry

Brendan ‘Speedy’ Fagan, 24, Newry

Paul ‘Bull’ Downey, 37, south Armagh

Charles Bennett, 22, Belfast

1998:

Gerard Moran, 35, Dublin

(Source: Irish Independent / CAIN, Ulster University)

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