Gerry Adams calls on community to reject republican dissidents
By Brian Rowan
Belfast Telegraph
Friday, 16 January 2009
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has launched a scathing public attack on dissident republicans, accusing them of involvement in “unacceptable criminal actions” — including extortion and intimidation.
He called on the community to “reject these groups” and urged support for the PSNI “in ending criminality in our community”.
The Adams intervention will undoubtedly raise tensions between dissident and mainstream republicans.
He has linked the Continuity IRA to a specific incident in west Belfast earlier this week and also named those groups using the names Oglaigh na hEireann, the Real IRA and INLA.
The West Belfast MP said: “There has been an increase in criminal actions by a number of organised criminal gangs who claim to be republican organisations.
“The gangs involved are targeting innocent families, business people and in some instances other criminals, in particular drug dealers, demanding protection money.”
He said that on Wednesday the Continuity IRA destroyed a digger belonging to a contractor working on the Casement Park site in west Belfast.
“This attack took place after several threatening phone calls to the contractor and intimidatory behaviour by a number of individuals who threatened workers,” the Sinn Fein leader said.
“It is the latest in a long litany of similar actions by people claiming to represent this group (Continuity IRA). But it is not exclusive to it.
“Others are using the names Oglaigh na hEireann, the Real IRA or the INLA,” he continued.
“Their actions are not about furthering republican goals,” Mr Adams added.
“On the contrary they tarnish the name of Irish Republicanism and seek only to further the self interest of those involved.
“This behaviour is intolerable and it must end,” he said.
In the past Sinn Fein leaders have been warned by police of dissident plans to attack them.
Now the most prominent and public of republican leaders has accused those dissidents of involvement in major criminality.
“It includes protecting drug pushers by extorting money made through this reprehensible practice; it involves threatening business people and families in this community.
“I would appeal to anyone who is genuinely committed to republican aims and objectives and who values the legacy of all those who gave their lives during many years of struggle, to reject these groups.”
The Sinn Fein MP said he upholds the right of others “to dissent from the mainstream republican position and to oppose Sinn Fein strategy”, but he said there could be “no political tolerance for the actions I have highlighted today”.
'So venceremos, beidh bua againn eigin lá eigin. Sealadaigh abú.'
--Bobby Sands
are you sure this wasn’t Gerry Fitt being interviewed? Sounded like it to me…
Comment by joe murray — 18/1/2009 @ 6:21 pm