Arm na Poblachta (meaning in English "Army of the Republic") is the name of a small,[1] dissident, Irish-republican paramilitary group believed to have been founded in 2017.[2][3][4]

History

The group emerged in 2017 by claiming responsibility for planting an improvised explosive device on Pantridge road in Belfast.[5] They claimed responsibility for a rocket reportedly found in the Polegrass area of Belfast following a telephone warning, PSNI have claimed they found a form of ‘explosively formed projectile’ (EFP) designed to be used against armored vehicles.[6][7] It is also believed that Arm na Poblachta were responsible for the 2018 shooting death of Antrim resident Raymond Johnston.[8] They are reportedly made up of a "mixture gang" of ex-Provisional IRA, Continuity IRA and Oghlaigh na hEireann members.[9]

In 2021, it claimed to have left a roadside device in the ‘Ballyarnett Road’ area of Derry.[10] On 12 March 2022, Arm na Poblachta had hijacked a delivery drivers car and left it around the junction at Feeny Road and Killunaght Road, near Dungiven, County Londonderry, a bomb that targeted a PSNI vehicle but did not explode. [11]

The night of 17 November 2022, an explosive device was thrown to a police car in the town of Strabane and it exploded without the officers in the car getting hurt. Strabane resident Teresa Breslin, whose twin brother Charlie was executed by the SAS in an anti-IRA operation in the town, called the bomb attack "a bloody disgrace", calling it "something we never thought we’d go through again".[1]

Ιn February 2023, Arm na Poblachta claimed responsibility for planting an explosive device in the Corrody Road area of Derry, which resulted in a security alert in the area.[12]

In March 2023, the group issued threats against the families of Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers. The threats were condemned by the SDLP member of the Legislative Assembly and Northern Ireland Policing Board member Mark H. Durkan.[13] One former police officer reportedly said that the threats made by the ANP could deter young PSNI recruits from staying in the force or joining.[14] The same month, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris announced a raise in the terrorism threat level assessment from "substantial" to "severe" for Northern Ireland, a level indicating that an attack is "highly likely," which reverses a 12-year old downward trend.[15] Also in March 2023, three men were jailed over a "savage group attack" in West Belfast which was linked to the ANP. This claim was based on the fact that a "Join ANP" graffiti stencil was found in a premises associated with one of the arrested men. The attack had taken place in 2018. [16]

In November 2023, the ANP were blamed for a bomb hoax alert in Derry. [17]

According to an article in the Sunday World newspaper, of April 2023, unnamed sources claimed that the ANP were "desperate" to kill someone, in order to prove that they are "not the Mickey Mouse outfit they have been labelled". The same article referred to the "Óglaigh na hÉireann" Real IRA splinter group (ONH) suggested that "[t]ensions between ONH and ANP have been mounting".[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Jordan, Hugh (21 November 2022). "Micro-offshoot of New IRA called 'Arm na Poblachta' behind Strabane attack on PSNI". Sunday World. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  2. ^ O’Neill, Sharon (29 August 2017). "PSNI confirms new NI dissident terror group after Up Close investigation". ITV. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Arm na Poblachta: Who are the dissident republican group threatening police officers' families?". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  4. ^ Young, Connla (6 March 2023). "Who are republican group Arm na Poblachta?". The Irish News. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  5. ^ Buck, Kate (1 November 2017). "New dissident terror group says it left Belfast roadside bomb". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  6. ^ https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/police-seize-significant-quantities-of-terrorist-related-weapons/36900084.html
  7. ^ https://ansionnachfionn.com/2017/11/08/arm-na-poblachta-army-of-the-republic-reveals-its-anti-armour-capacity/
  8. ^ "Raymond Johnston: 'Dissident group Arm na Poblachta murdered young dad'". The Irish News. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Rival terror gangs 'desperate for a kill' amid concerns for safety of PSNI officers". SundayWorld.com. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Dissident republicans in Northern Ireland - what do they want? An explainer". The Irish News. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  11. ^ Young, Connla (12 March 2022). "Arm na Poblachta claims explosive device aimed at PSNI car in Co Derry". The Irish News. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  12. ^ Mullan, Kevin (7 March 2023). "Arm na Poblachta claim it left Derry devices; 'sinister' threat to families of police condemned". Derry Journal. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Dissident republican group warns PSNI families are targets". BBC. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Dissident republican threat will 'deter young PSNI recruits'". 8 March 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  15. ^ O'Neill, Julian; Glynn, Niall (28 March 2023). "Northern Ireland terrorism threat level rises". BBC. N.Ireland. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Three jailed over 'savage group attack' in west Belfast linked to Arm na Poblachta". The Irish News. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  17. ^ "Dissident republican group ANP believed to be behind Co Derry alert". The Irish News. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
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