OMAGH BOMBERS USING PROVO WEAPONS
Omagh bombers using Provo weapons
By STAFF REPORTER
THE IRA last night admitted that the gang responsible for the Omagh bombing had been arming itself from the Provos' arms stockpiles.
In a statement to be carried in today's edition of the Republican News, the terror group confirmed a small amount of weaponry had been "secretly misappropriated" by people who defected from its ranks more than a year ago to form the Real IRA.
The news comes as both loyalist and republican splinter groups claimed to have stepped up preparations to a return to killing.
The north Ulster brigade of the Ulster Volunteer Force, which admits it is actively recruiting, claims it now has a base in every major town and village from Londonderry to south Antrim.
A senior figure claimed the loyalist group was re-arming with the latest military hardware, including a 66mm antitank gun.
And this evening Channel 4 is to show footage of balaclava-clad Continuity IRA men in Londonderry demonstrating a 40mm grenade-launcher that can destroy vehicles a quarter-of-a-mile away.
Viewers will also be told that a mystery American backer has promised a million dollars to the maverick republican terror group if "he starts seeing bodies on the TV screen again".
In its statement, the IRA claimed to have recovered "some, but not all" of the weapons stolen by the Real IRA.
It added: "The IRA will continue its investigations until all the missing weaponry has been recovered."
It was a further acknowledgement of ill-feeling between the two republican factions.
At the weekend, hardline republican Paddy Pox was abducted, imprisoned and beaten in an apparent dispute he claimed was prompted by his opposition to the mainstream republican stance in the Northern Ireland peace process.
No group admitted involvement in the kidnapping but the IRA was widely believed to have been responsible.
In September the IRA called on the Real IRA to disband and warned that it should do so "sooner rather than later".
By STAFF REPORTER
THE IRA last night admitted that the gang responsible for the Omagh bombing had been arming itself from the Provos' arms stockpiles.
In a statement to be carried in today's edition of the Republican News, the terror group confirmed a small amount of weaponry had been "secretly misappropriated" by people who defected from its ranks more than a year ago to form the Real IRA.
The news comes as both loyalist and republican splinter groups claimed to have stepped up preparations to a return to killing.
The north Ulster brigade of the Ulster Volunteer Force, which admits it is actively recruiting, claims it now has a base in every major town and village from Londonderry to south Antrim.
A senior figure claimed the loyalist group was re-arming with the latest military hardware, including a 66mm antitank gun.
And this evening Channel 4 is to show footage of balaclava-clad Continuity IRA men in Londonderry demonstrating a 40mm grenade-launcher that can destroy vehicles a quarter-of-a-mile away.
Viewers will also be told that a mystery American backer has promised a million dollars to the maverick republican terror group if "he starts seeing bodies on the TV screen again".
In its statement, the IRA claimed to have recovered "some, but not all" of the weapons stolen by the Real IRA.
It added: "The IRA will continue its investigations until all the missing weaponry has been recovered."
It was a further acknowledgement of ill-feeling between the two republican factions.
At the weekend, hardline republican Paddy Pox was abducted, imprisoned and beaten in an apparent dispute he claimed was prompted by his opposition to the mainstream republican stance in the Northern Ireland peace process.
No group admitted involvement in the kidnapping but the IRA was widely believed to have been responsible.
In September the IRA called on the Real IRA to disband and warned that it should do so "sooner rather than later".
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/192
Published Date: 04-Feb-99
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