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THE Belfast brigade of the Continuity IRA have accused the Provisional IRA of the murder of Joseph O’Connor, and claim all its members have been put on full scale alert.
The organisation requested a face-to-face interview with the Irish News on Saturday following the murder of Mr O’Connor – who was gunned down in Ballymurphy on Friday – to accuse the IRA of doing “the dirty work for the British”, and of attempting to undermine dissident republicans.
The group said reports in the media that a feud had developed between the Continuity IRA and the Real IRA were unfounded, and denied that both organisations were involved in a tit-for-tat campaign over drugs – accusing the IRA of a dirty tricks campaign.
“The way it has been put across is that Mr O’Connor’s death was a feud between the two organisations about drugs."
“We wish to categorically state that our organisation has no involvement whatsoever with drugs and to our knowledge neither did Mr O’Connor,” said a leading member."
He said the ‘big P’ – the Provisional IRA – had been compiling ‘profiles’ of Continuity and Real IRA members for some time, adding that it had been expected someone from either organisation would be killed.
“All our members have stepped up their personal security because the IRA will want to kill a member of Continuity IRA as a counter measure – if this happens people will incorrectly think it is a tit-for-tat retaliation from the Real IRA for the murder of Mr O’Connor.”
“We are armed and all volunteers will be exercising extreme vigilance."
“We do not want to be involved in a feud between republicans in any shape or form – that is from all volunteers in our organisation. We do not want to see republicans killing republicans."
“This killing has sent shockwaves through all republican people and we want to express our disgust at it. We offer our condolences and wish to express our sincere sympathy to the O’Connor family.”
The spokesperson also moved to dispel reports that the Continuity IRA and Real IRA were amalgamating.
“We are not and never have been amalgamated with the Real IRA, but we are not involved in any feud with them. The situation is that both organisations have a mutual respect for one another as fellow republicans."
“Top level pro-agreement republicans are trying to undermine the dissident organisations in a bid to keep the Good Friday agreement afloat.”
The Continuity leader warned that the organisation would be stepping up its campaign in the near future, adding the attacks would involve “military targets”.
He said increasing numbers of IRA members were becoming disaffected with the peace process.
From SAOIRSE,
November 2000
CIRA Belfast Interview
IN AN interview with the Belfast Irish News on October 16, the Belfast Brigade of the Continuity Irish Republican Army accused the Provisional militia of the murder of Joseph O’Connor.
The spokesperson told the newspaper that all Volunteers had been put on full-scale alert. O’Connor’s killing meant the Provos were doing the "dirty work of the British", the spokesperson said. The Provisionals had been compiling dossiers on CIRA Volunteers and Provo dissidents for some time, and it had been expected that someone from either organisation would be shot.
Dispelling rumours of a feud between CIRA and the Provo dissidents over drugs he accused the Provos of a "dirty tricks campaign". "All our members have stepped up their personal security," he said because the Provos "will want to kill a member of the Continuity IRA as a counter-measure – if that happens people will incorrectly think it’s tit-for-tat from the RIRA (sic) for the murder of Mr O’Connor".
Despite media and British Crown Forces allegations of a tit-for-tat campaign between the CIRA and Provo dissidents, the spokesperson said: "We wish to categorically state that our organisation has no involvement whatsoever with drugs and to our knowledge neither did Mr O’Connor."
"We are armed and all Volunteers will be exercising extreme vigilance."
"This killing has sent shock-waves through all Republican people and we want to express our disgust at it. We offer our condolences and wish to express our sincere sympathy to the O’Connor family."
The spokesperson also moved to dispel rumours of a link-up between the CIRA and Provo dissidents. "We are not and have never been amalgamated," he said, "but we are not involved in any feud with them."
The CIRA spokesperson warned that the organization would be stepping
up its campaign in the near future and that attacks would involve "military
targets". Increasing numbers of the Provisionals were becoming disaffected
with the Stormont process, the spokesperson added.
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