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Real IRA claim responsibility for recent attacks on NI banks and Derry City

Terrorist group targets Derry, City of Culture, due to the award symbolizing British rule

BERNIE MALONE,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Friday, October 28, 2011, 9:17 AM

Updated Friday, October 28, 2011, 11:57 AM

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The Real IRA (Irish Republican Army) has claimed responsibility for the recent bombings in Northern Ireland, including two bombs in banks and one last week in Derry city.

The group also vowed to continue targeting the banking system, referring to bankers’ “greed”. This May, masked men threw a bag containing an explosive device into the Santander’s branch in Derry city. Also, this August, a bomb was thrown into a Santander bank, in Hill Street, Newry.

They said the bombings were meant “to send out the message that while the Irish national and class struggles are distinct, they are not separate."

Their statement said they had bombed Derry City’s office of the UK City of Culture as a symbolic gesture. They believe that having received the title of City of Culture is an underpinning of British rule in Ireland.

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Analysts have described the most recent warnings as the most bellicose yet. The group say they plan to bomb banks on both sides of the Irish Sea and border, Northern Ireland, and the Republic.

Their statement, reprinted in the Guardian, said, “The IRA has recently carried out a number of bomb attacks on the banking establishment…Such attacks are an integral part of our strategy of targeting the financial infrastructure that supports the British government's capitalist colonial system in Ireland,” adding, “The impetus to carry out this type of attack is directly linked to pressure from working-class communities in Ireland as a whole.”

"At a grassroots level, working-class communities are suffering most from the effects of cuts to essential services and poverty is now endemic. Families who have lost income as a result of the financial crisis - caused by the bankers - are being intimidated and some are being evicted from their homes…The ruling class of bankers and politicians are disconnected from the consequences of their disastrous policies and decisions."

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DanOLoingsigh | Oct 31, 2011, 05:43 AM EDT

@ clevelander – The term ‘Republican Movement’ is a little too loose to licence any ‘self appointed’ grouping to decide how the future of the island of Ireland is to be decided. Let’s suppose that the current ‘dissidents’ eventually accept some arrangement short of UI, then do we await another bunch deciding for themselves that it is not enough? The fact is that the two parts of the island have grown apart, helped by the actions of the ‘Republican Movement’, and simplistic solutions such as ‘Brits out’, have failed. Token ‘campaigns’ tilting at windmills are no part of the future…

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peterson | Oct 30, 2011, 07:07 PM EDT

What to we expect from IDIOTS like the IRA ?? When they catch 'em, blow them up !!

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clevelander | Oct 30, 2011, 06:41 PM EDT

@dan "My comment re ‘whose authority’ was to contrast the legitimacy of the democratic will with the non-legitimacy of self-appointed ‘freedom fighters’". This is the main argument. In my opinion the Republican Movement is legitimate. "and little appetite down here for a return to the bad old days." What do you know of the bad old days? Down there you did not have the experience of the Unionist/british establishment. @rat 1 vote not 2 separate elections, one Island All Ireland vote is what I would want. "Free and Fair" I really don't agree with that. To long of a topic to talk about here, but I do not agree. "Unless you are proposing that only militant republicanism is allowed to vote for a UI." Come on, never said or implied that. Once Ireland is Free from any british rule, what ever form of Government the People of Ireland, North and South together in 1 vote, agree to is fine with me. And you assume wrong. And I really do believe with a british presence where will never be peace. I accept that.

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FallsRNat | Oct 30, 2011, 05:01 PM EDT

clevelander - we have had free & fair democratic votes by the people of both north & south ireland to preserve the north as part of the UK until the voters of the 6 counties decide whether they want to live in a UI or not. I really don't understand what your argument is, unless you are proposing that only militant republicanism is allowed to vote for a UI - at the last count approx 91 people, so therefore 3.5m other participants are not allowed to vote. If a UI was achieved on these terms, not only would 70-80% of the northern people leave, but most of the south would too. I assume that you are living in the US, are u seriously suggesting that Obama holds a ballot on the future of the US by only allowing the indigenous red indians to vote. the people of ireland have spoken & consigned the armalite & ballot box to history, unless you accept that there will never be peace.

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DanOLoingsigh | Oct 30, 2011, 03:32 PM EDT

@ clevelander –If you accept ‘physical force’ as a legitimate method to achieve a UI, then you invite harm on anyone who stands in the way of your desired outcome. My comment re ‘whose authority’ was to contrast the legitimacy of the democratic will with the non-legitimacy of self-appointed ‘freedom fighters’, not to question your freedom to express your views. It seems clear that there is little support in the north for a UI, and little appetite down here for a return to the bad old days. Ireland is free – free to opt for unity or not…that is real freedom, not some zealots imposed solution. ‘Ireland will never unite until it has peace’.

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clevelander | Oct 30, 2011, 02:06 PM EDT

@dan I repeat the Ireland un free "mantra" (as you say)simply because it is true, period. I truly hope I am wrong about the ballot box, I really really do, but I can not see it happening. Free and united is what I desire by any means necessary and if that includes physical force, so be it. By who's authority do I speak or share my views? I did not think I needed anyone's authority to do so. And I will continue to express views. I do not wish any harm to anyone british, Irish or other, but until Ireland is Free it probably will happen again and again. Just my thoughts.

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Springfield9 | Oct 30, 2011, 10:13 AM EDT

Everyone knows that Semtex and idiocy are the two ingredients to re-localizing Irish Business and creating jobs. For Christ's sake blow up the RIR Barracks ...but spare the dog.

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quanself | Oct 30, 2011, 09:55 AM EDT

I'm an Irish American and a Buddhist. I feel for the IRA's struggle, but I just can't condone blowing up people to get a point across. It does not work, it only strengthens the resolve of the one's your aiming at.

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DanOLoingsigh | Oct 30, 2011, 07:27 AM EDT

@clevelander – When you repeat the tired old ‘Ireland unfree’ mantra, and say the ballot box will not resolve the issue, what is your alternative? The Irish people have decided democratically that the ballot box will decide matters, are you setting your face against that decision, if so, why, and on what authority?

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cuddlybuddly | Oct 30, 2011, 06:09 AM EDT

Bombing Banks is Not the way forward, it's a dark and deadly step backwards. It Doesn't work!!! it will if anything cause terror, rebellion and MORE greed

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clevelander | Oct 29, 2011, 09:51 PM EDT

@pittspukekid wow, I'm sure my Mother and family appreciate the fine way you describe the Women of the north of Ireland. "The Catholic Women are repopulating Northern Ireland with the same furry as Patton's 3rd" "Catholic Mothers of Northern Ireland. Who never go down, but instead take it like a woman." Degrading and ignorant words. I remember the former Republicans of PSF saying "by 2016 we will out breed them at the ballot box." They were wrong, again. A free and united Ireland will never be won by the ballot box. If I thought for 1 minute that a free and united Ireland can come from politics I would jump in and do anything I could to make it happen. But I say it can not and will not. Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.

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Sparklet | Oct 29, 2011, 04:56 PM EDT

On whose behalf are they acting? Certainly not the majority of the population of the 32.

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Fergananim | Oct 29, 2011, 04:50 PM EDT

FallsRNat - apparent the figures are worse than that, with 52% of Catholics in Northern Ireland prefer remaining in the United Kingdom. Who can blame them, given the car crash economy south of Newry? "The respected Northern Ireland Life and Times survey released its latest findings this week on political attitudes towards the province's constitutional status. Overall, it found a large majority, 73%, in favour of staying inside the UK." "Most significantly, the poll of 1,200 Northern Irish citizens revealed that 52% of Catholics favoured the union with Britain rather than a united Ireland. In a further blow to the hopes of a united Ireland advanced by the likes of Sinn Féin, only 4% of Protestants want Irish unity. They continue to solidly favour the status quo, even if many of them do not vote in local elections." More details can be found as "The Kingdom will remain United – in Ireland, at least", in the 17 June 2011 issue of The Guardian.

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FallsRNat | Oct 29, 2011, 04:08 PM EDT

pittsburg kid - the RC Irish women maybe outproducing the prods, but that in itself won't guarantee that there will be in UI. 44% of the NI RC will happily live in a UK, there are lots of reasons why, amongst them are; Euroland is fading fast, why swap british for european rule (any pretense of a free ireland is perverse when the germans are now effectively running euroland), they believe in democracy, they just don't care where they live, they have worries about jobs, education, standard of living, they are enjoying peace at last. If the Catholic mothers were to achieve anything right for Ireland, than they should change to that one 1 true monolithic institution that should be carried kicking/screaming into the 21st century - the Catholic church. One thing above all else, don't make it a prod/catholic thing we on all sides are heartily sickened by it & the marginalisation of both societies, if you are proposing a catholic UI state, then i'm afraid that you don't know your irish history, without a free secular ireland for all religions on the island of ireland, then a UI isn't really worth it.

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Pittsburghkid | Oct 29, 2011, 12:02 PM EDT

The Real IRA should go home and let the woman win this war. The Catholic Women of Northern Ireland are winning. American Woman in WWII won the war by out producing tanks, planes, and ships. The Catholic Women are out producing Prostestant Women in babies. The Catholic Women are repopulating Northern Ireland with the same furry as Patton's 3rd Army cut threw Europe in WWII. This IRA killing and the Provisionals are working against the Catholic Woman. I'd like to thank Irishcentral for this opportanity to say a good word about the Catholic Mothers of Northern Ireland. Who never go down, but instead take it like a woman.

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