Republican Sinn Fein, Continuity IRA leadership, Dissident republicans,

Republican Sinn Fein, Continuity IRA leadership, Dissident republicans,

The Continuity IRA which is the military wing of Republican Sinn Fein and was founded in 1986 following the split with Provisional Sinn Fein/IRA has said it has put a new leadership in place and removed criminal elements.

This bold move may save Continuity IRA from falling into the same trap as the Provisional IRA which eventually ended up with over 70% of its leadership working as British agents, this included Martin McGuinness (recruited by M16 in 1985), Roy McShane, Dennis Donaldson, Freddie Scappittini and so forth. The Provisional movement exposed itself to infiltration as it allowed known criminals including Gerry Adams Snr, Liam Adams, Roy McShane, Dennis Donaldson, Freddie Scappittini and so forth to use the organisation and they in turn were used by the British and Freestate secret service.

A statement issued by the Irish Republican Information Bureau said those acting in a criminal manner and using the name of the CIRA would be subject to "military action."

However, Continuity IRA must be careful not to use its “military action” on the wrong targets, or Continuity IRA will simply become a copy of the failed provisional project. It is well known that many agents were allowed to carry-out low level activity such as knee-capping’s in order to infiltrate the Provisional IRA, such low level activity has no place in any republican organisation.

The statement also said the CIRA remains determined to continue its military campaign against British forces in Northern Ireland.

The CIRA opposes the Good Friday Agreement and has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks in recent years, including the killing of PSNI officer Stephen Carroll in 2009.