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FEARS of a bloody republican feud increased last night after the Real IRA vowed revenge against the Provisional IRA members it blames for murdering one of its volunteers.
Conflicting reports over who killed Joseph O’Connor have circulated since he was gunned down in Ballymurphy, west Belfast on Friday.
But in the statement issued last night the leadership of the Real IRA said it has identified those who planned and carried out the shooting.
The dissident grouping, which refers to itself as Oglaigh na hEireann in the statement, extended sympathy and condolence to the family of “Volunteer Joe O’Connor”.
It said the father-of-three “was murdered by local Belfast members of the provisionals”.
“The identities of all those involved, including those who carried out the foul deed, and those who issued the instructions, are in our possession,” it says.
Although it claims to have resisted earlier “attempts of provocation by the Provos”, the Real IRA says it has to defend its members.
“It is not our choice nor desire to engage in these types of actions; however, our volunteers will be protected, and at a time and place of our choosing, those guilty of this offence, will be dealt with accordingly,” the statement said.
“This is not an idle threat and should not be treated as such. Nor should it be interpreted as a signal for all-out indiscriminate attacks on innocent republicans loyal to the Provo leadership.”
The Real IRA also describes the murder as a part of an overall British strategy to defeat republicanism and cement British rule in Ireland.
The dissident grouping accuses mainstream republicans of being “manipulated” into helping maintain a British presence in Northern Ireland.
“We are mindful this latest development is deliberately baited to divert Republicans from their primary objective,” it says.
“Once again, republicans are faced with the dilemma of dealing with fellow countrymen, who are the willing instruments of the British War machine.
“We call on all genuine republicans to resist being manipulated into a confrontation with fellow republicans, by elements that are prepared to administer British rule for the foreseeable future.”
In a separate statement Francis Mackey, chairman of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement – believed to be closely associated with the Real IRA – accused Sinn Fein of a “sinister attempt at a cover up” to turn anti-Good Friday agreement republicans against each other.
Mr Mackey also called on Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams “to explain to the people of west Belfast how the murder of a republican whose family has given a lifetime of service to the republican cause, is part of a stepping stone to a united Ireland”.
But a mainstream republican source last night insisted dissidents, rather than the Provisional IRA, carried out the murder.
“We have heard nothing to make us reconsider the view expressed on Friday
that this was to do with some dispute between the micro-republican movement,”
the source said.
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