The feared Irish National Liberation Army is to finally disband – seven years after the Provisional IRA laid down its weapons.

The Sunday Independent reports that the notorious Republican paramilitary group is about to announce the decision.

Confirmation of the cessation of violence will herald the release of the group’s six remaining prisoners in the Republic and Northern Ireland.

The extreme terrorist organisation was responsible for some of the worst atrocities during the Troubles.

It is also believed that the INLA was hired by gangster John Gilligan to murder his rival Martin Cahill, otherwise known as The General.

The Sunday Independent reports that a bitter internal feud within the INLA prevented disbandment in 2009.

Now the remaining members of the INLA have reached a consensus on disbandment and possible surrender of weapons according to the paper.

The report says the INLA was founded by Republican socialist figure Seamus Costello in 1974 after he split from the Official IRA. He was later murdered by the Official IRA in 1977.

It made headlines across the world when it assassinated Margaret Thatcher’s close aide Airey Neave after placing a bomb under his car at the House of Commons in March 1979.

The INLA also killed 17 people, 11 of them off-duty British soldiers, when it bombed the Droppin’ Well pub in Derry in December 1982.

The INLA is known to have forged links with extreme leftist terror groups in Europe including the Baader Meinhof group in Germany and Action Directe in France.

Police believe the INLA is now predominantly involved in criminality in Dublin and is under investigation for extortion and protection rackets in the Republic.

Dominic ‘Mad Dog’ McGlinchey, murdered by a South Armagh gang after his release from prison, is recognised as the most notorious INLA member of them all.