Irish Republican Liberation Army
Encyclopedia
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.
in the Ardoyne
area. The Irish News
suggested that its membership were from a County Antrim
family with Loyalist Volunteer Force
connections, while others have suggested they splintered from the Continuity IRA (CIRA). Another theory was that the groups was supposed to have started in 2006 by dissidents from CIRA who split to form either the IRLA or the Continuity Liberation Movement.
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 Féin
, the alleged political wing of the CIRA, believed responsible for the deaths. Veteran west Belfast activist, Geraldine Taylor, a candidate in the Assembly elections, and a north Belfast Republican Sinn Féin member, were told by police that their lives were in danger. The threat was said to have come from the apparently "self-styled vigilante group," the IRLA. Further to this, two other republicans were also warned of the danger to their lives.
In November 2007, the group also claimed responsibility for the shotgun
attack that wounded a police officer driving away from his son's school in Derry
.
The Independent Monitoring Commission
said the IRLA has a small arms collection, though its threat is not "terrorist in nature."
In the twentieth IMC report, the IRLA was set to be a "essentially a group of criminals taking a republican banner in order to give supposed status to their activities." Although the group committed at least one other shooting it was not recognised as immediately threatening.
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 replied that "As a matter of normal policy and practice we do not comment on organisations not on the proscribed list."
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
"self-styled vigilante group" in support of a united Ireland
United Ireland
A united Ireland is the term used to refer to the idea of a sovereign state which covers all of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. The island of Ireland includes the territory of two independent sovereign states: the Republic of Ireland, which covers 26 counties of the island, and the...
. Although much of its origins are as of yet unknown, the IRLA had attracted attention with its threats of paramilitary action.
Origins
The IRLA is centred around BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in the Ardoyne
Ardoyne
Ardoyne is an Irish nationalist, working class and mainly Catholic district in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It gained notoriety due to the large number of incidents during "The Troubles". It is home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants...
area. The Irish News
The Irish News
The Irish News is a compact-sized daily newspaper based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is perceived as being broadly Irish nationalist in outlook...
suggested that its membership were from a County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
family with Loyalist Volunteer Force
Loyalist Volunteer Force
The Loyalist Volunteer Force is a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed by Billy Wright in 1996 when he and the Portadown unit of the Ulster Volunteer Force's Mid-Ulster Brigade was stood down by the UVF leadership. He had been the commander of the Mid-Ulster Brigade. The...
connections, while others have suggested they splintered from the Continuity IRA (CIRA). Another theory was that the groups was supposed to have started in 2006 by dissidents from CIRA who split to form either the IRLA or the Continuity Liberation Movement.
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 GAAGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
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 Féin
Republican Sinn Féin
Republican Sinn Féin or RSF is an unregisteredAlthough an active movement, RSF is not registered as a political party in either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. minor political party operating in Ireland. It emerged in 1986 as a result of a split in Sinn Féin...
, the alleged political wing of the CIRA, believed responsible for the deaths. Veteran west Belfast activist, Geraldine Taylor, a candidate in the Assembly elections, and a north Belfast Republican Sinn Féin member, were told by police that their lives were in danger. The threat was said to have come from the apparently "self-styled vigilante group," the IRLA. Further to this, two other republicans were also warned of the danger to their lives.
In November 2007, the group also claimed responsibility for the shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
attack that wounded a police officer driving away from his son's school in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
.
The Independent Monitoring Commission
Independent Monitoring Commission
The Independent Monitoring Commission was an organization founded on 7 January 2004, by an agreement between the British and Irish governments, signed in Dublin on 25 November 2003...
said the IRLA has a small arms collection, though its threat is not "terrorist in nature."
In the twentieth IMC report, the IRLA was set to be a "essentially a group of criminals taking a republican banner in order to give supposed status to their activities." Although the group committed at least one other shooting it was not recognised as immediately threatening.
Government response
On March 5, 2008, East AntrimEast Antrim
East Antrim can refer to:*The eastern part of County Antrim*East Antrim *East Antrim...
MP Sammy Wilson
Sammy Wilson
Samuel Wilson is a politician from Northern Ireland who is a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Antrim. He served as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1986 – 1987; and again from June 2000 to June 2001. He was the first person from the Democratic Unionist Party ...
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
Tony McNulty
Tony McNulty
Anthony "Tony" James McNulty is a former British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Harrow East from 1997 to 2010 and was a government minister from 2002 to 2009. He was Minister for London and Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform at the Department for...
if he would consider prohibiting the Irish Republican Liberation Army under the Terrorism Act 2000. McNulty replied that "As a matter of normal policy and practice we do not comment on organisations not on the proscribed list."