BF2S Forums Irish Terrorism

It was an organisation that blew up a crowded disco and machine-gunned the congregation of a Protestant gospel hall, and had in its ranks fearsome gunmen with nicknames such "Mad Dog" and "Doctor Death".


So when the Irish National Liberation Army yesterday signalled that its decades of violence are behind it, the news was greeted with widespread relief.


In the past few years the organisation's murders have been sporadic rather than on a large scale, the group claiming that its victims have been involved in drug-dealing. But it possesses a significant number of guns, and it has been active in extortion, protection rackets and other types of criminality.


If it sticks to its promises, its disappearance will therefore be a major step towards a more peaceful and stable Northern Ireland.


Although it was always much smaller than the IRA, it killed more than 150 people during the Troubles. Among these was Airey Neave, the Tory MP and close ally of Margaret Thatcher, killed by an INLA booby-trap bomb within the precincts of the House of Commons.


Its assassinations also included that of the loyalist paramilitary leader Billy Wright, whose death inside the Maze prison sparked a wave of retaliatory attacks.


But in the republican backstreets of Belfast it will also be remembered for the large number of fatalities generated by internal feuding. Dozens died in disputes between the INLA and other minor republican groupings, while more were killed during faction-fighting inside the organisation.


It began life as a left-wing breakaway in the 1970s, killing Airey Neave in 1979. Although its ideological content eventually disappeared, its members originally displayed republican dedication: three of them were among the 10 hunger strikers who in 1981 starved themselves to death in the Maze.


With many in republican areas regarding this as self-sacrifice of the highest order, hundreds flocked to its ranks in the years that followed, some of them disillusioned former members of the IRA. The result was a wave of violence which in a three-year period brought more than 50 deaths.


Seventeen lives were lost when the INLA set off a bomb at a disco at the Droppin Well public house in Ballykelly, Co Londonderry, in 1982. Over 150 people were crowded into the bar when the bomb exploded, bringing down the roof.


An Army officer who rushed to the scene spoke of finding bodies "like dominos, one on top of the other". Eleven of the dead were soldiers, mainly from the Cheshire Regiment, which was based in the garrison town. The others killed were civilians, four of them women.


A year later came a purely sectarian attack when INLA gunmen opened fire on worshippers at a Sunday evening service at Darkley Pentecostal Church in Armagh. The 60-strong congregation, made up mainly of farming families, was singing "Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?" when gunmen fired up to 40 shots, killing three of the church elders.


One of the injured sustained five bullet wounds to the stomach, a woman was hit in the spine, and a female organist had her elbow smashed by a bullet. Twenty-six children present took cover under their seats.


The leader of the INLA at the time was Dominic "Mad Dog" McGlinchey, who later said there was no justification for killing "entirely innocent hill-billy folk who had done no harm to anyone". He admitted, however, providing a rifle used in the attack.


McGlinchey, one of the most notorious of republican gunmen, was believed to have ordered the Droppin Well attack. As INLA "chief of staff" he shot dead a number of its members, sometimes claiming they were security force informers.


In a newspaper interview he said he himself had killed around 30 people. He declared: "I like to get in close to minimise the risk for myself. I will probably get shot eventually. There is a good possibility of my not seeing the end of the struggle, but I don't really give it a lot of thought.


"I always try to avoid being shot. I will be remembered for nothing. I have no illusions about myself. The only people who will remember me will be my family and particularly my children."


That was in 1983. Four years later McGlinchey's wife, Mary, who was also active in the INLA, was shot dead, hit by nine bullets as she washed her two young sons in her bathroom. Those who shot her were said to be exacting revenge for previous feud killings.


McGlinchey himself was in prison at the time, but after his release he too was shot dead in 1994, attacked as he left a video store by three men who knocked him to the ground and pumped 14 bullets into him.


The McGlincheys were regarded as among the most dangerous members of the INLA, but others were equally fearsome. One of these, Gerard "Doctor Death" Steenson, was said to have carried out dozens of murders.


Steenson was jailed for life after being convicted of 67 terrorist offences, including seven murders. The judge described him as "a most dangerous and sinister terrorist – a ruthless and highly dedicated, resourceful and indefatigable planner of criminal exploits who did not hesitate to take a leading part in assassinations".


He was jailed on the evidence of one of the "supergrasses", INLA members who testified in court against former associates. But most of these cases collapsed on appeal, and Steenson and many others were released.


The irony was that, once freed, many of them died in further feuding. He himself was driving in a car, apparently looking for old associates, when he was spotted by one of them and shot dead.


By that stage the INLA was regarded, by both the security forces and other republicans, as an unstable and unpredictable group which was susceptible to security force penetration and a magnet for mavericks.


One of its last major operations took place in 1997 when imprisoned INLA men in the Maze smuggled in a gun which they used to kill Billy "King Rat" Wright, a notorious loyalist assassin. After shooting Wright they threw down the gun used to kill him and surrendered to the authorities. They received additional sentences but were later released.


In the last decade the INLA has rarely sought publicity and although it has carried out some recruiting and training it was regarded more as a potential menace than an actual threat.


Various ex-members have been active in the Irish Republic, however, taking part in criminal activities such as kidnappings and extortion.


While other dissident republican groups have launched attacks on the security forces in Northern Ireland, it has not done so. It made a few small efforts to develop a significant political wing, but these were not a success, and it has no obvious political presence.


Its ranks today are said to include veteran members who believe that the time has come to give up the gun, but also some younger hot-heads. The hope is now that the organisation will fade away completely, and not generate splinters which might continue to be involved in illegality.


INLA's reign of terror Victims ranged from leading Tory MP to dancers in a disco


Airey Neave, March 1979


Margaret Thatcher's shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, 63, was assassinated by an INLA booby-trap bomb beneath his Vauxhall Cavalier at the House of Commons. The attack came just after the campaign for the 1979 general election had opened. He was expected to become Northern Ireland Secretary in the event of a Tory victory.


Darkley Pentecostal Church, November 1983


The 60-strong congregation, made up mainly of farming families, was singing "Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?" as the opening hymn of their Sunday evening service when INLA gunmen arrived and shot dead three of the church elders.


The Dropping Well Public House, December 1982


The INLA bomb attack on a disco at this Ballykelly pub at 11.15pm resulted in one of the highest death tolls of the Troubles. Eleven of the dead were soldiers, mainly from the Cheshire Regiment, which was based in the garrison town. The other six killed were civilians, four of them women.


Around 150 people were inside and 30 were injured. The bomb used in the incident was comparatively small, containing only 5lb of commercial explosives, and it had been placed under an unoccupied bench seat.


Billy Wright, December 1997


Nicknamed "King Rat", Wright founded the Loyalist Volunteer Force and was widely considered the most terrifying loyalist paramilitary to emerge during the Troubles. He instilled fear among Catholics, especially near Portadown, Co Armagh, where he lived. He was involved in more than a dozen killings. He died, aged 38, inside the Maze prison, where he was shot seven times by INLA inmates in an ambush of the van taking him to the prison's visitor centre. Wright's high profile made him a marked man. He said in one interview: "I'm a dead man. It would be morally wrong to back off. I have kids, but ... if I was shot dead in the morning, I would laugh in my grave."

Last edited by IG-Calibre (2009-10-12 03:22:51)

A police officer's partner was injured when a bomb exploded under her car in east Belfast.

The 38-year-old was reversing the vehicle out of the driveway of a house in Kingsdale Park at about 0730 BST on Friday when the device exploded.

She was taken to hospital with a minor arm injury and ringing in her ears.

First Minister Peter Robinson said that there "were still evil people who by this course of action think they can change political events".

"It's an appalling and evil act that was clearly intended to murder," he said.

The police said the bomb could have killed or caused serious injury.

Chief Supt Brian Maguire indicated that a device had been planted on the passenger side of the car and had someone been sitting there it could have caused a fatality.

He said they were still investigating who the intended target was but it is understood that the woman regularly gives her partner a lift to work.

He is understood to be a police dog handler.

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said those responsible for the attack would not derail political progress and were "living in cloud cuckoo land".

"We must remain calm when facing what is undoubtedly a dangerous threat to police officers at this time," he added.

Last month, the dissident republican Real IRA admitted leaving bombs outside the homes of relatives of a police officer in Londonderry.

In March, another dissident group the Continuity IRA admitted killing police constable Stephen Carroll who was shot in Craigavon, County Armagh.

UUP leader Sir Reg Empey said the latest attack was a "very serious development".

Chief Superintendent Brian Maguire said the device 'had the potential to cause death or serious injury'

"Obviously there's a lot of speculation that this is another dissident attack, similar to the one in Londonderry a couple of months ago."

The Northern Ireland Security Minister Paul Goggins described Friday's attack as "repulsive".

He said: "Mercifully this woman escaped with minor injuries but those who planted this bomb had murder in mind. They do not care who they kill."

The Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Barry Gilligan, also condemned the attack.

He said: "It is fortunate that this young woman was not seriously injured in this incident and our thoughts are with her and her family."

Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long said it was a "completely reckless and indiscriminate attack".

Last edited by henno13 (2009-10-16 14:59:05)

Police are investigating reports of an explosion near a Territorial Army base in north Belfast.

Police said members of the public reported hearing a bang in the Ashfield Crescent area off the Antrim Road between 0130-0200 BST on Thursday.

The area has been cordoned off while a suspect device which may have been thrown at the base is examined by Army technical experts.

There are no reports of any injuries or damage.

Forensic officers are examining an area outside the perimeter of the base.

According to the MoD website, The North Irish Horse, a Royal Armoured Corp unit, is based at the Dunmore Park Camp.

'Escalation'

The website also says soldiers from the regiment train at the base most Wednesdays.

North Belfast Sinn Fein councillor Tierna Cunningham said the apparent bomb attack was "reckless and endangered families living nearby".

The area's DUP MP Nigel Dodds said north Belfast had "witnessed an escalation of dissident republican terrorist activity".

There has been an increase in security across Northern Ireland following a number of recent incidents blamed on dissident republicans, who oppose the peace process.

Last Friday, a police officer's partner was injured when a bomb exploded under her car in east Belfast.

In September, the dissident republican Real IRA admitted leaving bombs outside the homes of relatives of a police officer in Derry.

Dilbert_X wrote:

Why doesn't GB just give the northern counties to Ireland and be done with it?

Why doesn't the US give Israel to Syria?

Dilbert_X wrote:

FEOS wrote:

You're comparing apples and jackhammers.

Not really.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for leaving a car containing a 400lb bomb outside the Policing Board's headquarters in Belfast.

The device in the car, which had been driven through a barrier by two men who then ran off, partially exploded at about 1900 GMT on Saturday.

Officers returned fire during the incident on Saturday night. There were no reports of injuries.

Last edited by Mekstizzle (2009-11-22 07:54:40)