'Real' IRA to disband

["D OC" <donaloc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From the 'Sindo' - this was coming a while.

"On Friday, September 27, in a written communication to the Army leadership,
the [Real] IRA unit in Portlaoise Prison took the unprecedented step of
calling the Army Council to stand down with ignominy.

"We will not demean our struggle or provide succour to our enemies by
revealing the comprehensive catalogue of evidence which has exposed this
leadership. However, we do feel duty-bound to state that this Army
leadership's financial motivations far outweigh their political commitment
to our struggle at this time.

"IRA prisoners find this morally and politically unacceptable. We believe
that the current Army leadership has forfeited all moral authority to lead
the [Real] IRA. To date, the leadership has failed to respond to our demand.
Thus we feel we are left with no option but to withdraw our allegiance from
this Army leadership.

"We would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to
republican principles and reiterate our steadfast opposition to the Belfast
Agreement and British rule in Ireland. Furthermore, in order to dispel
recent, mischievous leaks to the media, we would like to state that no IRA
prisoners' representative has entered negotiations with any government
regarding the early release of political prisoners."

It is signed: "IRA unit, Portlaoise."

A written addendum states that all Real IRA prisoners in Portlaoise and
England "speak with one voice". This statement from the Real IRA prisoners
has to be read against the background of the Real IRA's ceasefire declared
after Omagh. Under pressure, a ceasefire was announced on September 7, 1998,
but later the campaign was resumed without warning.

While the statements represent not only the vast majority of Real IRA
members, including the most significant leaders and founding members, there
are some in the organisation who disagree. There is also one significant
member in prison who does not want to disband or even go on ceasefire.

Liam Campbell, said to be the Real IRA's main strategist and a close
associate of the current leader on the outside, is opposed to a ceasefire.
Three weeks ago, he and two others were removed from the Real IRA landing in
Portlaoise and are no longer aligned to the main group. A small number of
prisoners in the North have yet to declare where they stand.


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