Northern Ireland and Brexit: The Metamorphoses of Terror

More than 20 years of peace in Northern Ireland, and now the Brexit is to endanger all this - but who would want to bomb again? The answer is scary: the ones that never stopped.

On 19 January 2019 blew up in front of the court of the Northern Irish town of Derry a car bomb. The attack was known by a terrorist group called "New IRA" (NIRA). The assassination recalled a fact that had long ignored the media and the public: even more than 20 years after the 1998 peace treaty, there is no real peace in Northern Ireland.

On Good Friday 1998, after years of negotiations, representatives of the Irish Catholic and British Protestant populations of Northern Ireland had contracted to share power in the semi-autonomous micro-state. Until the government broke in 2017, representatives of both groups ruled on equal terms. And as of 2007, the two parties that are considered to be the most radical poles in the political spectrum, set the common government:

The Protestant Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is the founding of the late sect leader Ian Paisley - a man who is closely linked to the outbreak of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland and who himself repeatedly sought to establish paramilitary groups. Paisley was said to have close contacts with the terrorist group Ulster Defense Association (UDA) .
He soon ruled alongside Sinn Fein executive Martin McGuiness, who was once the chief of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) .

The radicals on both sides swore off violence - and their paramilitary wings contributed to the fragile peace. The PIRA went ahead: Beginning in the mid-1980s, Sinn Fein, previously seen as the political wing of the PIRA, increasingly set the course for the republican movement to end the division of Ireland, while the Unionists demand a permanent membership of Britain ,

photo gallery

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Northern Ireland's Protestant Terror: Different, but no less deadly

Instead of violence, Sinn Fein focused on a political process. Already in 1997, the PIRA declared its ceasefire and began disarming. In 2010, the UDA finally followed suit after other British-Protestant paramilitaries, such as the once-brutal Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), laid down their arms.

But who murders and bombs then currently in Northern Ireland - at lower, but again noticeably rising level?

The simple and disturbing answer: those who never stopped. In addition to former terrorist forces such as the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) or the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), which today are more of a form of organized crime, there are still numerous groups of convict killers with murderous, but - in their view - "political " Aim.

What's more, their numbers are rising again, as they did at the beginning of the 1970s at the beginning of the Northern Ireland conflict. This too has a long tradition in Ireland, where the British and Irish have been fighting for control for more than 800 years.

The splits of the IRA: a pattern with tradition

This can be shown above all in the development of republican organizations. Splits characterize the sequence of IRA's many incarnations: whenever an organization has laid down its weapons, some have come to resume the fight under new (or ancient) names. The history of the IRA can be traced back to the Irish rebellion of 1798.

SPIEGEL ONLINE has summarized its cleavage-rich pedigree with the most important cuts back to the year 1913. In the following chart, the Provisional IRA (PIRA) and its political arm Sinn Fein represent the mainstream of the republican movement. Spin-offs and spin-offs are represented as branches. One recognizes the pattern at a glance: events and decisions induce spin-offs; By clicking on the names of the organizations you will learn their stories in short form.

The "family tree" of the IRA

Click on the names for more information

1910

1913

Irish Volunteers

imago / United Archives International

IRISH VOLUNTEERS

Gaelic "Óglaigh na hÉireann" (warriors / soldiers of Ireland). Founded in response to the founding of the Protestant militia "Ulster Volunteers". Called from the failed Easter Uprising 1916 Irish Republican Army (IRA). Pictured: The first armed volunteers in 1914 in the port of Howth. The 1500 rifles were smuggled out of Hamburg.

1914

Cumann na MBann

Dublin City Library & Archives

Cumann na mBan

The "Women's Council" is established as an independent organization. She contributes to the politics and campaigns of the Irish Volunteers and later the Official IRA. In 1969 she moves to the camp of the Provisional IRA (PIRA). Pictured: Volunteers 1914, far right co-founder Constance Markievicz.

1922

Irish

army

Getty Images

Irish army

The IRA is divided into the Irish or National Army (official army of the State of Ireland) and the Official IRA (OIRA) called troop, which does not want to accept the secession of Northern Ireland. The dissent escalates to civil war, which rages until 1923. It ends with a victory for the state forces that support the peace treaty, even if it means splitting Ireland. Pictured: The politician and freedom fighter Michael Collins accepted the secession of Northern Ireland. For his former comrades in the underground IRA he was a traitor - Collins was murdered.

1922

OIRA

OIRA

The defeat in the Civil War forces the Official IRA underground. Its main objective is the "liberation" of Northern Ireland and the establishment of a republic encompassing the entire island. During the 1950s and 1960s, the OIRA moved further and further to the left: it soon became a Marxist organization fighting for a communist Ireland. This remains a defining feature for all IRA offshoots: The goal was never a "reunification", but another, and then a lot of Ireland - a system change on both sides of the border.

1920

1969

PIRA

Getty Images

PIRA

The Provisional IRA (PIRA or "Provos") splits off, Cumann na mBan joins in. Unlike the OIRA, which stylizes itself as a defensive force of the Catholic population, the PIRA leads an offensive campaign: It wants a British retreat and the establishment of an Irish federal state with four states bombard ("Éire Nua", New Ireland). Pictured: The Battle of the Bogside, Derry, 12.8.1969.

1970

1974

INLA

picture-alliance / dpa / epa

INLA

One of the oldest and long most dangerous OIRA spin-offs is the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), founded in 1974. It will become the largest and most powerful spin-off of OIRA, soon to become the most radical paramilitary organization. Although the PIRA is clearly positioned politically on the left, the INLA often cooperates with the "Provos".

1972

OIRA

armistice

ullstein picture / mirrorpix

OIRA - Truce

After two catastrophically failed attacks, the OIRA announces a truce. It persists until the end of the 70s, but is losing importance. Radical forces inside the OIRA ignore the truce and soon form their own troops. The "Bloody Sunday" by Derry, in which British paratroopers open fire on peaceful demonstrators and kill 13 people, escalates the conflict to civil war. In the picture: The pictures of the future bishop Edward Daly, which carries corpses and injured people from the street, go around the world.

1980

1984

IPLO

IPLO

Radicals from the INLA found the small but extremely brutal Irish People's Liberation Organization (IPLO). It is at war with everyone: their attacks hit British and Irish, Protestants and Catholics, and there also the INLA and PIRA. It puts an end to the nightmare in 1992 by killing the leaders and forcing the survivors back "in line".

1986

CIRA

REUTERS

CIRA

Radicals from the PIRA establish the continuity IRA (CIRA). Cumann na mBan joins them. Both organizations continue to pursue the goal of "Eira Nua", from which PIRA adopted in 1979. Politically, they see themselves as socialists - as well as now the PIRA and its increasingly strong political wing Sinn Fein.

1990

1994

armistice

Getty Images / Independent News And Media

armistice

The PIRA unilaterally announces its ceasefire. Since the beginning of the 1980s, the influence of the Sinn Fein political wing has grown steadily, seeing the greater chances of achieving political goals in the political process. In the middle of the decade, the leading duo Gerry Adams (Sinn Fein, here on the right) and Martin McGuiness (IRA) paved the way for the Northern Irish peace process with the suspension of the "armed struggle" (Pictured here: on the groundbreaking, sensible, Ard Fheis Party Congress 1985.

1997

RIRA

RIRA

Radicals from the PIRA found the Real IRA (RIRA) in protest against this peace course. The organization becomes a reservoir for IRA members who are fundamentally opposed to the peace process.

1998

peace treaty

AP / Paul McErlane

peace treaty

Sinn Fein and the PIRA carry the contract, and the INLA announces a ceasefire. The so-called dissidents (RIRA, CIRA, Cumann na mBan and others) intensify their bombing war and attacks. On August 15, 1998, a RIRA bomb in Omagh kills 29 people and injures more than 300 more-the bloodiest plot in the entire Northern Ireland conflict.

2002

disarmament

REUTERS

disarmament

International Commission notes widespread disarmament of PIRA

2000

2006

RDA

DPA

RDA

Radicals from the PIRA found the Republican Defense Army (RDA, active until 2011/2012). PIRA-affiliated activists from Derry found Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD). In the picture: On a wall in Belfast emblazoned graffiti, which protests against the disarmament IRA

2006

RAAD

DPA

RAAD

2009

Óglaigh na

hÉireann

Óglaigh na hÉireann

Radicals from the RIRA found a force called Óglaigh na hÉireann. In 2018, it unilaterally announces a ceasefire and disappears.

2009

disarmament

disarmament

Disarming of the INLA. The organization persists and continues to be seen as potentially dangerous. Today it is considered a primarily criminal structure.

2012 NIRA

Getty Images

NIRA

The New IRA (NIRA) emerges from RIRA and RAAD. She will send nine letter bombs by the spring of 2019, carry out at least 15 assassinations, kill at least seven people and commit at least 16 bomb attacks, including the bomb attack on 19 January 2019 in Derry (pictured here).

2010

2013

Saoirse na

hÉireann

Saoirse na hÉireann

A group that once again calls itself Saoirse na hÉireann emerges from the RIRA. She gives up her activity in 2014.2017: Radicals from the NIRA found arm na Poblachta. The group is so far attributed to a bombing assassination, it is considered as still active.

2018

armistice

Armistice 2018

When the RIRA-born Óglaigh na hÉireann announces a cease-fire and ceases its activities, radicals from the group found the Irish Republican Movement (IRM). The group is threatened with "death sentences" against British soldiers and the Northern Irish police as well as the shooting down of dealers and criminals from the Catholic community.

2017

Arm na

Poblachta

Arm na Poblachta

Radicals from the NIRA found arm na Poblachta. The group is so far attributed to a bombing assassination, it is considered as still active.

2018

IRM

IRM

2000

2005

Saoirse na

hÉireann

Saoirse na hÉireann

Three radical factions break away from the CIRA: the Irish Liberation Army (IRLA), Óglaigh na hÉireann (active until 2009) and Saoirse na hÉireann (active until 2009).

2005

IRLA

IRLA

Three radical factions break away from the CIRA: the Irish Liberation Army (IRLA), Óglaigh na hÉireann (active until 2009) and Saoirse na hÉireann (active until 2009).

2005

Óglaigh na

hÉireann

Óglaigh na hÉireann

Three radical factions break away from the CIRA: the Irish Liberation Army (IRLA), Óglaigh na hÉireann (active until 2009) and Saoirse na hÉireann (active until 2009).

2010

2010 - 2012

Real CIRA

2010 - 2012

Up to four autonomous troops split off from the CIRA, all call themselves Real Continuity IRA. Whether and which of them are still active is unknown.

The "family tree" of the IRA

Click on the names for more information

1910

1913

Irish Volunteers

imago / United Archives International

IRISH VOLUNTEERS

1914

Cumann na mBan

Dublin City Library & Archives

Cumann na mBan

The "Women's Council" is founded as an independent organization. She contributes to the politics and campaigns of the Irish Volunteers and later the Official IRA. In 1969 she moves to the camp of the Provisional IRA (PIRA). Pictured: Volunteers 1914, far right co-founder Constance Markievicz.

1922

Irish army

Getty Images

Irish army

1922

OIRA

OIRA

1920

1969

PIRA

Getty Images

PIRA

1970

1974

INLA

picture-alliance / dpa / epa

INLA

1972

OIRA

armistice

ullstein picture / mirrorpix

OIRA - Truce

1980

1984

IPLO

IPLO

1986

CIRA

REUTERS

CIRA

1990

1994

armistice

Getty Images / Independent News And Media

armistice

1997

RIRA

RIRA

Radicals from the PIRA found the Real IRA (RIRA) in protest against this peace course. The organization becomes a reservoir for IRA members who are fundamentally opposed to the peace process.

1998

peace treaty

AP / Paul McErlane

peace treaty

2002

disarmament

REUTERS

disarmament

International Commission notes widespread disarmament of PIRA

2000

2005

Saoirse na

hÉireann

Saoirse na hÉireann

Three radical factions break away from the CIRA: the Irish Liberation Army (IRLA), Óglaigh na hÉireann (active until 2009) and Saoirse na hÉireann (active until 2009).

2005

IRLA

IRLA

Three radical factions break away from the CIRA: the Irish Liberation Army (IRLA), Óglaigh na hÉireann (active until 2009) and Saoirse na hÉireann (active until 2009).

2006

RDA

DPA

RDA

2006

RAAD

DPA

RAAD

2005

Óglaigh na

hÉireann

Óglaigh na hÉireann

Three radical factions break away from the CIRA: the Irish Liberation Army (IRLA), Óglaigh na hÉireann (active until 2009) and Saoirse na hÉireann (active until 2009).

2009

Óglaigh na

hÉireann

Óglaigh na hÉireann

Radicals from the RIRA found a force called Óglaigh na hÉireann. In 2018, it unilaterally announces a ceasefire and disappears.

2009

disarmament

disarmament

Disarming of the INLA. The organization persists and continues to be seen as potentially dangerous. Today it is considered a primarily criminal structure.

2012 NIRA

Getty Images

NIRA

2010

2013

Saoirse na

hÉireann

Saoirse na hÉireann

2010 - 2012

Real CIRA

2010 - 2012

Up to four autonomous troops split off from the CIRA, all call themselves Real Continuity IRA. Whether and which of them are still active is unknown.

2018

armistice

Armistice 2018

2017

Arm na Poblachta

Arm na Poblachta

Radicals from the NIRA found arm na Poblachta. The group is so far attributed to a bombing assassination, it is considered as still active.

2018

IRM

IRM

Three phases with splits within or out of the mainstream of republicanism are easy to recognize:

The post-revolutionary years 1921-1923: At the end of the war of liberation, the IRA divides into those who are satisfied with the southern part of the state and those who do not want to accept the division of the country.
Outbreak of the Northern Ireland Conflict 1969-1972: The frustration of the lack of radicalism in the Official IRA (OIRA) leads to more radical spin-offs - especially PIRA and INLA.
Peace process from 1997: The spin-off of the Real IRA (RIRA) is a protest against the peace process of PIRA - and begins with the bloodiest bombing of Northern Ireland conflict history. The progressive disarmament motivates hardliners on both sides, who do not want to be disarmed, to found their own groups.

These groups have never been inactive: there has not been a single year since 1998 without attacks, multiple murders, internal infighting and "punitive actions" that cost people their lives or health. However, the violence only rarely reached the level to be reported by the international press.

Getty Images / Watford / Mirrorpix

OIRA checkpoint in Derry, Northern Ireland 1972: The INLA was created from the old branch of the IRA

This has changed noticeably recently. The security forces on both sides of the Irish border are now recovering from several hundred active, armed terrorists in Northern Ireland.

Why now?

At the beginning of 2019, Marisa McGlinshey provided insight into the reasons for her study "Unfinished Business". As of 2010, the political scientist was able to conduct interviews with almost 100 terrorists from terrorist groups still active in the republican spectrum - sometimes in prison, sometimes underground.

It is so far the only detailed description of a scene that has never accepted the '98 Peace Treaty. The sometimes competing groups are called "dissidents" because they did not follow the mainstream of republicanism, represented by Sinn Fein and the Provisional IRA (PIRA), in the ceasefire and peace treaty.

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Marisa McGlinchey
Unfinished Business: The Politics of Dissident Irish Republicanism

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But who is "dissident", you learn at McGlinshey, is quite a question of perspective. For the NIRA and its fellow bombers, those who made peace in 1998 are nothing but dissenters from the republican way. On the other hand, they see themselves in the historical continuity of the Irish struggle for freedom.

The fact that they seem to be strengthening right now is due to the impending Brexit, say experts, but also ordinary citizens. "The paramilitary organizations," analyzed Gerry Moriarty, the Northern Ireland correspondent for The Irish Times, "see Brexit as an opportunity - the harder, the better."

Because the topic brings back an age-old topic on the agenda: the question of national identity. Many Republicans are discovering in Brexit the opportunity to achieve the reunification of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland - also because in Brexit the Protestant camp is not as unified as usual for the first time. Tens of thousands of Northern Irish Protestants have even become Irish nationals in recent years assumed to avoid possible disadvantages caused by the Brexit - previously almost unthinkable, a taboo.

REUTERS

CIRA graffiti in Belfast: someone keeps on bombing

Radical forces on both sides discover in Brexit, however, a topic on which the opposites can be worked out sharper again. Observers of the scenes fear the worst here. The signs are increasing that the nerves are increasingly blank. Paramilitary groups arm themselves again from partly ancient stocks, which supposedly forgotten stored in the borderland. The NIRA's rifle and plastic explosives arsenal apparently feed from depots left by the mid-1970s disappeared OIRA.

Like bad, old times

At the same time, some old questionable wounds break through, partly as a result of preliminary investigations into the question of whether or not the soldiers who opened fire on unarmed persons on "Bloody Sunday" are accused. And bearing thinking is now supported even by representatives of the parties, who cooperated for a good two decades, if sometimes grudgingly.

Sinn-Fein party leader Mary Lou MacDonald was photographed on March 17, 2019, for the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York, laughing behind a banner that scandalized the unionists: "England, get out of Ireland!" it said - as in bad, old times.

The replica from the DUP's camp came promptly: "If slogans such as 'British out' or 'England out of Ireland' are used, the unionist camp may justifiably be appealed to," denounced DUP MP Gregory Campbell. Belfast Telegraph ". "The British presence in Ireland is the unionist population of Northern Ireland."

At least for that matter, the radicals on both sides are in complete agreement: they have therefore led 30 years of civil war. And that is unfortunately not over in many minds.

Northern Ireland and Brexit: The Metamorphoses of Terror

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