IRA Statement Break Down

The IRA's full statement, in which its leadership ordered members to stop the armed campaign.

The leadership of Oglaigh na hEireann has formally ordered an end to the armed campaign.

This will take effect from 4pm [1600 BST] this afternoon.

"No-where in the IRA statement below do the IRA express sympathy, remorse or tears, for the heinous and horrible crimes committed by the common criminals of the IRA. Nor do they acknowledge their grief or despair at the murder of many innocent victims, many blew to bits by no warning car bombs. The dead only recognisable by dental records. Nor do they say nothing of the heinous way in which members of the security forces where murdered in front of their families when unarmed and in civilian clothes. Nor do they mention how they interrogated and murdered captured members of the security forces many of whom where part-time UDR soldiers and farmers in isolated rural areas. Nor do they mention how they packed the dead bodies with semtex to lure more members of the security forces to a similar fate. Verdict - The IRA are COMMON CRIMINALS AND MURDERERS AND THE BRITISH GOVERMENT BOWED THE KNEE AND SURRENDERED. One Question remains - what concessions have Sinn Fein/IRA won from the British Government. While the IRA have give a full statement. It is also time the British Government informed the peaceable people of Northern Ireland what the IRA where promised in return."

All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms.

"Do you believe the IRA will dump all its arms or give them to others to resume the so-called armed struggle for the pipe dream of an All Ireland?"

All Volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means.

"Do you believe all the Criminal IRA murderers and thugs (known as volunteers in the republican movement) will go about their daily lives in a exclusively peaceful manner"

Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.

"This I must see to believe"

The IRA leadership has also authorised our representative to engage with the IICD [Independent International Commission on Decommissioning] to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible.

"How do I as a member of the public who has lived though the Sinn Fein/IRA carnage and murder know all the PIRA weapons are beyond use and out of the IRA's reach to resume their war against the innocent Protestant people of Northern Ireland?"

We have invited two independent witnesses, from the Protestant and Catholic churches, to testify to this.
The Army Council took these decisions following an unprecedented internal discussion and consultation process with IRA units and Volunteers.

We appreciate the honest and forthright way in which the consultation process was carried out and the depth and content of the submissions.

We are proud of the comradely way in which this truly historic discussion was conducted. The outcome of our consultations show very strong support among IRA Volunteers for the Sinn Fein peace strategy.

"The IRA membership had no problem since 1969 to the present day July, 2005, as they believed in the murder of unborn babies, children, women and men to further their pipe dream of a United Ireland. Does a leopard change its spots?"

There is also widespread concern about the failure of the two governments and the unionists to fully engage in the peace process.

"Sinn Fein/IRA signed the Belfast Agreement in 1998 and have only now in July 2005, seven years later, been able to come out and make this statement which should have been delivered to the democratic peaceable people of Northern Ireland in 1998. It is Sinn Fein/IRA who did not engage in the peace process"

This has created real difficulties. The overwhelming majority of people in Ireland fully support this process.

They and friends of Irish unity throughout the world want to see the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

"The overwhelming people of Northern Ireland who represent over one third of the total population of Ireland have not supported the Belfast Agreement since late 1998."

Notwithstanding these difficulties our decisions have been taken to advance our republican and democratic objectives, including our goal of a united Ireland.

We believe there is now an alternative way to achieve this and to end British rule in our country. It is the responsibility of all Volunteers to show leadership, determination and courage.

"The democratic way was always opened to those who wanted to advance their cause in a peaceful and democratic manner through the ballot box, but it was the SDLP who abandon the ballot box and Sunningdale in the early 1970's and all those years later many innocent people paid the ultimate sacrifice and where shot and bombed by the Sinn Fein/IRA Criminal thugs."

We are very mindful of the sacrifices of our patriot dead, those who went to jail, Volunteers, their families and the wider republican base.

"Anyone who murders anyone is not a patriot but a common murdering criminal who should serve life in prison for their heinous deed. Anyone who supported and helped these murdering Criminals should also be in jail for their crimes against their fellow men/women/children/unborn children. They will however face their maker at their life's end and there will be no get out of jail free card given to them then."

We reiterate our view that the armed struggle was entirely legitimate. We are conscious that many people suffered in the conflict.

"The Sinn Fein/IRA murderous campaign heinous in its conception and criminal by its very design it most certainly was never legitimate. While the murderous criminal thugs of Sinn Fein/IRA would like to use the word legitimate it does hide their evil deeds or gloss over the fact many innocents where bombed and shot dead many of whom where unarmed and unsuspecting civilians. Legitimate? I think not. Common Criminals and Murderers I most certainly do know they still are and always will be."

There is a compelling imperative on all sides to build a just and lasting peace. The issue of the defence of nationalist and republican communities has been raised with us.

"Sinn Fein/IRA imply they defended their community when in fact they murdered and buried more Roman Catholics than any other or combined organisations. May be they can tell the McCartney sisters why they murdered their brother a Roman Catholic who they said they where swore to defend."

There is a responsibility on society to ensure that there is no re-occurrence of the pogroms of 1969 and the early 1970s.

"Society had nothing to do with the heinous murderers and bombings of the 1969 and 1970's this was solely the work of one Criminal Organisation the IRA and its criminal thugs. What have they achieved? nothing only the 'copper fastening of the Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom."

There is also a universal responsibility to tackle sectarianism in all its forms.

"Sectarianism was never an issue within Northern Ireland until Sinn Fein orchestrated and made it an issue and then turned their attention to loyal order parades. Lately they have stopped Protestants even going to church though a village in their cars. Sectarianism is the invention of Sinn Fein IRA."

The IRA is fully committed to the goals of Irish unity and independence and to building the Republic outlined in the 1916 Proclamation.

"Ireland for want of a better term is now a multi-cultural country and looking through rose tinted glasses to 1916 will not change the way Ireland is going to develop in the new Millennium, 2005."

We call for maximum unity and effort by Irish republicans everywhere. We are confident that by working together Irish republicans can achieve our objectives.

Every Volunteer is aware of the import of the decisions we have taken and all Oglaigh are compelled to fully comply with these orders.

"This is the second time in the statement that the IRA common criminals have been ordered to comply with the orders in the statement. Are the IRA afraid of a number of IRA members will leave and start up another organisation and start their own 'armed-struggle'. Similar to the way the PIRA emerge in the early 1970's and push the Official IRA out of the way? If their members don't do as they are ordered what will the IRA do? - shoot them?"

There is now an unprecedented opportunity to utilise the considerable energy and goodwill which there is for the peace process.

This comprehensive series of unparalleled initiatives is our contribution to this and to the continued endeavours to bring about independence and unity for the people of Ireland.

"Sinn Fein/IRA are under an illusion. The vast majority of people in Northern Ireland DO NOT want to be a part of a banana Irish Republic. While we are happy for cross border co-operation that is where all interest ends with the Irish Republic. Even many Roman Catholics are against a United Ireland as it would affect the life style they have at present in Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom"

“The outcome of our consultations show very strong support among IRA Volunteers for the Sinn Fein peace strategy”

“We reiterate our view that the armed struggle was entirely legitimate”

"As stated above the Sinn Fein/IRA are nothing but 'COMMON CRIMINALS AND MURDERERS'."

“The IRA is fully committed to the goals of Irish Unity and independence and to building the Republic outlined in the 1916 Proclamation”

The members of the Sinn Fein and the illegal terrorist grouping the IRA need to there will never be a United Ireland without the consent of the majority in Northern Ireland. A recent survey concluded no one living today will see a United Ireland"

BBC News Online 28th July 2005