The Five Demands

Scoperta fabbrica di ordigni esplosivi. 9 gli arresti effettuati dalla Garda

Due colpi messi a segno dalla polizia irlandese durante un’operazione di ricerca incentrata nelle aree di Dunleer, nella contea di Louth e nelle contee di Wexford e Waterford.
Scoperta quella che presumibilmente è una fabbrica di componenti di ordigni esplosivi la cui attività potrebbe essere strettamente connessa al Real IRA in Irlanda del Nord.
Nove i fermi, tra cui 2 esponenti di alto livello del maggior gruppo paramilitare repubblicano di cui una fazione ha rivendicato la propria responsabilità dell’ultimo attentato all’Ulster Bank di Derry.
La fabbrica ha sede in una struttura nei pressi di un’abitazione a Barntown, tra New Ross e Wexford.
Apposti i sigilli allo stabile ed avviate le attività investigative.
Al suo interno la polizia ha rinvenuto componenti di ordigni tra cui timer per bombe e munizioni.
Il raid è stato parte di una vasta operazione atta a contrastare le ‘filiali’ di attività disidente nella Repubblica di Irlanda e guidata dalla Special Branch, Emergency Response Unit in collaborazione con la National Surveillance Unit.
Sette dei nove arresti sono stati effettuati sulla base del Section 30 of Offences Against the State Act a Wexford e Waterford. Tra i fermati un uomo di 71 anni considerato un elemento chiave dell’organizzazione ed ex membro del Provisional IRA. Particolare quest’ultimo che riveste un’importanza rilevante in relazioni alle similitudini rilevate tra le metodologie dei Provos, del Real IRA così come dell’Oglaigh na hEireann dalla repentina ripresa dell’operatività dissidente al Nord.
Nella mattinata di ieri, facendo irruzione in una casa di Corrstown, Dunleer (Co. Louth), la Garda ha messo le manette ai polsi di un uomo di circa 40 anni, giudicato esponente di spicco della RIRA, depositario di grande esperienza e presumibilmente simpatizzatante del Provisional IRA nel suo passato periodo di attività.

Gardai find bomb parts in raid on Real IRA (Belfast Telegraph)
Gardai have found a bomb component factory they believe was being used by the Real IRA to supply its terrorists in Northern Ireland.
The factory was discovered during a wide-ranging search operation in the north-east and south-east of the country.
Last night, nine men were in custody after the swoops in Dunleer, Co Louth and in counties Wexford and Waterford.
Among the nine suspects were two men suspected of being major figures in the Real IRA faction aligned to the organisation’s former director of operations, who lives outside Dundalk.
The bomb component factory was discovered in a makeshift shed at a house at Barntown, between Wexford and New Ross.
Gardai found circuit boards and other components, including parts for timer power units for bombs to be used in the North. A quantity of ammunition and some paraphernalia was also seized.
The house and shed was one of several areas sealed off overnight for detailed searches this morning. Members of the garda technical bureau were on their way to the scene.
The raid at Barntown was one of 20 searches carried out by officers from the south-east as part of an operation targeting dissident activity.
The operation, which had been under way for some time, was spearheaded by the Special Branch, Emergency Response Unit and National Surveillance Unit.
Among those detained in the south-east was a 71-year-old man regarded by gardai as a key player in this Real IRA faction and a former activist with the Provisional IRA.
Seven suspects were detained in Wexford and Waterford and they were all being held last night under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act at a number of garda stations in Wexford, Waterford, New Ross, Enniscorthy and Thomastown.
Earlier yesterday, anti-terrorist gardai backed up by local officers raided a house at Corrstown, Dunleer, Co Louth, and seized a handgun.
Detectives arrested a man in his 40s, who is originally from Dundalk, and another suspect from Co Wexford.
The man in his 40s is allegedly a member of the Real IRA faction’s hierarchy and regarded as a highly experienced member of the group.
He is also believed to have been a provisional republican sympathiser but has no criminal convictions.
Last night senior gardai were hailing the operation, particularly the find at Barntown, as a big success in their ongoing campaign against dissidents.
This Real IRA faction has not claimed responsibility for any of the recent bombing incidents in the North. The bomb blast near the Da Vinci Hotel at Culmore Road in Derry city earlier this week was masterminded by a local Real IRA figure, allied to the rival faction also led by a man based in Co Louth.
Both faction leaders were close associates of Michael McKevitt when he established the Real IRA group after breaking away from the Provisional movement in October 1997.