IRA: Irish Republican Army the Term Paper

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Roman Catholics, who made up around one-third of the population of Northern Ireland, were largely opposed to the partition (Intelligence pp).

The IRA declined swiftly from internal dissentions and due to a loss of popular support because of its violence and pro-German agitation during World War II (Irish 2004). The attainment of republican objectives in 1949 and government measures against its illegal activities also contributed to its decline (Irish 2004). It was eventually outlawed by both Irish governments and thus became a secret organization, responsible for bombing attacks in Belfast, London, and at the Ulster border during the 1950's, but then became quiescent until the late 1960's (Irish 2004).

The Irish Republican Army split into two groups in 1969, the majority or "officials" who advocated a united socialist Ireland but disavowed terrorist activities, and the "provisional" who claimed terrorism as a necessary catalyst for unification (Irish 2004). The provisionals began a systematic terrorist campaign in Northern Ireland and in 1972 extended their terrorism to England, where it culminated in the 1974 bombing of a Birmingham pub that killed nineteen people, leading the British parliament to pass the Prevention of Terrorism Act, outlawing the IRA in Britain (Irish 2004). In 1979, the Irish Republican Army assassinated Earl Mountbatten and unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Brighton, England (Irish 2004).

There was hope for peace in 1994 when the IRA declared a cease-fire and began participating in talks with Britain in 1995, however, the party was barred from the mid-1996 negotiations due to renewed terrorist bombings by the IRA (Irish 2004). A new cease-fire was declared in 1997 and talks resumed that resulted in an accord that provided for a new Northern Ireland Assembly comprised of Protestants and Catholics, and greater cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic (Irish 2004).

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Britain suspended the new government in 2000 and again in 2001 due to the IRA's refusal to agree to disarm, however, in October 2001, the IRA began disarming, albeit in secret (Irish 2004). There were a number of incidents in 2002 that indicated the IRA had not abandoned paramilitary activity, resulting again in the suspension of home rule (Irish 2004).

The Irish Republican Army has a Marxist orientation and is organized in small, tightly knit cells under the leadership of the Army Council (Irish 2000). Activities include bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, punishment beatings, extortion, and robberies (Irish 2000). Targets include senior British Government officials, British military and police in Northern Ireland, as well as Northern Irish Loyalist paramilitary groups (Irish 2000).

The IRA has conducted bombing campaigns against train and subway stations and shopping areas on mainland Britain and against a British military facility on the European Continent (Irish 2000). The IRA still operates today in Northern Ireland, Irish Republic, Great Britain and Europe, and although largely unchanged, its strength may have been affected by operatives leaving the organization to join hard-line splinter groups (Irish 2000). The Irish Republican Army has received aid from a variety of groups and countries, with considerable training and arms coming from Libya and, at one time, the PLO (Irish 2000). Moreover, it is suspected that the IRA receives funds and arms from sympathizers in the United States (Irish 2000).

In August 2001, three suspected members of the Irish Republican Army were arrested in Bogota Colombia and were formally charged with training guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) and for carrying false passports.....

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