New Dissident Group Will 'Actively Target Crown Forces'

A new Belfast-based dissident republican group, calling themselves the Irish Republican Movement (IRM), have issued a death threat to anyone who is involved in the drugs trade.

It is understood that the group released an image of a number of heavily armed men alongside a statement to the Irish News.

The Irish News claim that they believe the group to be made of 'disgruntled members of Oglaigh na hEireann, who earlier this year declared a cessation of all armed activity'.

The group has said that it will protect its membership and said that the drugs trade must "cease" immediately and that the "penalty is death" for anyone discovered selling drugs within nationalist communities. Anyone involved in burglary and other criminality, were warned to "be under no illusion" that they will follow through with their threat.

The statement goes on to say that the group will "actively target Crown Forces' involved in policing operations against republican commemorative events".

Responding to the news, Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly called on the group to "disband and get off the back of the community".

He said: "There is absolutely no place for this group," Gerry Kelly said.

"It seems this latest group has emerged from yet another split which is testament to the lack of any cohesion, strategy, support or credibility within dissident republican circles.

"Instead of issuing threatening statements to newspapers, what they should be doing is getting off the stage and off the backs of the community."

(MH/LM)



Image Source - Irish News