West Belfast man first to be guilty of 'recklessly supporting' paramilitaries on social media
A Belfast man has become the first person in the province to be guilty of “recklessly expressing an opinion” in support of paramilitaries.
West Belfast man Ciaran Kilifin admitted posting comments backing dissident republican groups on a Facebook page called “Republican Activist Coalition”.
That page, active in 2021 and 2022 but which hasn’t been updated in years, describes itself as “an umbrella group that will encompass republican news in the North of Ireland”. Many of its posts involve praising IRA and INLA members who died during the Troubles.
The 27-year-old was today (3rd) handed a suspended sentence of 12 months in prison, and made subject to terrorism notification requirements that mean he will have to keep police informed of his name and any addresses where he stays, including foreign travel, for 10 years.
As reported in other media, posts Kilifin collated on the Facebook page included accusing two men by name of being traitors and “M15 informants”, and a quote from veteran republican Dolores Price that called for bodies of informants to be thrown onto the street.
The 27-year-old, who currently has an address in Exchange Court, Newtownards, recklessly expressing an opinion or belief that was supportive of a proscribed organisation between August 2021 and March 2022.
The PSNI have stated Kilifin was arrested by their serious crime branch at the end of March 2022, after what they described as “an extensive investigation”.
Said Detective Sergeant Allen said: “Often those sitting behind keyboards believe that their actions will have no consequences. However, words and articles supporting proscribed organisations can lead to others believing that engaging in the criminal acts of these groupings is acceptable.
“This is the first time this offence has been prosecuted in Northern Ireland since the change of legislation, which now allows the court to take into account material posted on the internet recklessly which expresses an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation.
“I would urge those who continue to engage in this type of activity to take note of the newly-introduced recklessness aspect of this offence, and to refrain from posting anything which could be deemed to be supportive of any organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act."