Armed Republicans Unite Under New Banner …

News broke last week that armed Republicans’, including the Real IRA, Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD), and the group of independent republicans have come together to form an organisation called, wait for it … the ‘IRA’.

In a report carried in the Belfast Telegraph, and written by the excellent Suzanne Breen, it is stated by a source:

“By coming together we now offer a much more credible republican alternative to the Provisional movement,”

“We will build on that to present a stronger challenge to British rule, and the implementation of British rule, in Ireland.

“The existence of so many republican organisations before played into the hands of our opponents who could point to our divisions and dismiss us all as micro groups.

“That is no longer the case. Our unity is our strength,” a dissident source said. He added that the new IRA’s main targets would be British soldiers and PSNI officers.

(Full article available on Newshound)

Same old; same old many would say.

One would not want to give these armed thugs any more attention than they deserve, however one has to worry how much a threat these groups are to Northern Ireland, not the Union, but society.

The source states that they will target “British soldiers and PSNI officers”, but we have heard that one before.

Are we in Northern Ireland equipped to deal with these criminals again?

The fact of the matter is that the Union is secure but with so many Army personnel fighting wars abroad and with a much smaller police force, with no reserves or back up are we prepared? Furthermore can we as a people take any more of this? Especially when young people are disillusioned and frustrated in a labour market that does not appear to be getting any better. I know of several young people who, having just graduated from University, have immigrated in order to find work and make a life. I will add that these young people come from a Unionist/Protestant background.

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