Reply to: Huge explosions at Texas fertiliser plants

[Sysman]

Well they always ran protection rackets - that is nothing new. Although you might be right about the drugs thing, I thought they were anti that. Maybe they were just anti anyone else doing it!

A Belfast chap I knew in 1996 reckoned it was mainly a few hundred on each side who had a vested interest in keeping it going. Illegal bars and protection rackets were sources of income, and all tax free of course.

[KentPhilip]

On a positive note on the disaster, at least there is going to be a bumper harvest from the crop fields a couple of miles round the factory..

[vetran]

So they are just as active but in more covert ways? Or was this just a blip?

I can't imagine people like that have become gas fitters.

[amcdonald]

Well they always ran protection rackets - that is nothing new. Although you might be right about the drugs thing, I thought they were anti that. Maybe they were just anti anyone else doing it!

No wonder they went into politics, that sounds like your typical politician!

[MyUserName]

So they are just as active but in more covert ways? Or was this just a blip?

[vetran]

Sorry the Granuaid disagrees

US embassy cables: IRA used 'respectable businessmen' during Irish boom to buy properties in London and Spain | UK news | guardian.co.uk

The roughly STG 3 million seized in Dublin and Cork the week of February 14 (ref B) is "beyond doubt" a portion of the STG 26.5 million stolen from Belfast's Northern Bank on December 20, 2004, according to XXXXXXXXXXXX and the Department of Justice, Equality, and Law Reform (DOJ)XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX related to Emboff the GOI's belief that up to 16 individuals questioned by Garda (police) in connection with the seizures were attempting to launder the stolen proceeds on behalf of the Provisional IRA (PIRA).

More generally, the DOJ and Garda continue to be concerned that money illegally acquired by the IRA was "seeping" into resources available for Sinn Finn's political activities in the Republic of Ireland, said the DOJXXXXXXXXXXXX. The difficulty lay in documenting the mixing of such funds. XXXXXXXXXXXX noted that the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) was similarly concerned that political donations obtained by Sinn Fein in the United States and elsewhere overseas were being spent in the South. (Under a 2002 SIPO ruling, Sinn Fein can accept donations from non-Irish citizens in foreign countries, but only for activities outside the Republic of Ireland, i.e., in Northern Ireland.) He noted that the DOJ would be interested to see whether and how the IRA might address criminality in its expected response to Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams' call for an end to republican paramilitarism. XXXXXXXXXXXX added that the awaited IRA statement would have no bearing on the money-laundering case or other investigations into possible IRA crimes committed since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

[MyUserName]

Funding, robberies and fading away.

Kind of the whole thing really.

The robberies are not a myth, I can remember them being reported in the news. Unfortunately I am not sure whether the fact they were IRA members was reported in the news. It came up in conversation when I talking to my brother.

The IRA seems to have faded away, unless they are just as aggressive as they previously were but it is not
getting reported or something?

How do you know that the funding thing is a myth? I am not necessarily arguing the opposite but unless you have access to their bank records it would be an odd thing to know, or do you just find it unlikely?

[minestrone]

Realy, which part?

Funding, robberies and fading away.

Kind of the whole thing really.

[MyUserName]

Seems to be a popular myth but completely untrue.

Realy, which part?

[minestrone]

ISTR that they lost most of their funding from the US after 9/11 and tried some bank robberies to get money which they messed up and then just faded away.

Seems to be a popular myth but completely untrue.

[Zippy]

People's Republican Army
Republican People's Army
Heretics!

Romanes eunt domus.

Splitter!

[d000hg]

So how many splitters are there now?
Continuity
Real

People's Republican Army
Republican People's Army
Heretics!

[cailin maith]

Maybe they were just anti anyone else doing it!

I think you hit the nail on the head there.

Mostly they are a bunch of thugs and now they are thugs in suits. Martin McGuinness running for president, I never thought I'd see the day.

And to think some gobtulipes actually voted for him

[MyUserName]

Don't think so.

Seems they have diversified and are now not just your friendly local knee cappers but also your friendly local drug pusher.

Well they always ran protection rackets - that is nothing new. Although you might be right about the drugs thing, I thought they were anti that. Maybe they were just anti anyone else doing it!

[cailin maith]

just faded away.

Don't think so.

Seems they have diversified and are now not just your friendly local knee cappers but also your friendly local drug pusher.