CIRA/RIRA TERRORISTS: BOMBS FOR HIRE?

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000207

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2014
TAGS: PREL PTER PINR CJUS KPAO KCRM EI
SUBJECT: CIRA/RIRA TERRORISTS: BOMBS FOR HIRE?

Classified By: DCM JONATHAN S. BENTON, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Summary. Over the last year, Dublin criminal and
drug gangs upgraded from guns to pipe bombs in their quest
for turf supremacy. The police suspect that drug barons are
now hiring the skills of the Continuity Irish Republican Army
(CIRA) and Real IRA (RIRA) explosives experts to target and
intimidate rivals. The police also believe that CIRA and
RIRA members are becoming increasingly involved in criminal
activity. To date, police have arrested three men and
charged them with possession of explosive substances as well
as with membership in an unlawful organization under the
Offenses Against the State Act. The evidence indicates that
individuals in CIRA and RIRA are driven by financial, not
political motives. There is no evidence of Provisional IRA
(PIRA) involvement in the deployments of these bombs,
according to police. End Summary.

Recent Increase of Explosive Devices in Dublin
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2. (U) Since January 2005, criminal elements in the city of
Dublin deployed at least six potentially lethal explosive
devices and one hoax bomb. On February 8 and 10, two devices
exploded and caused minor damage, but no injuries. Most of
the bombs were relatively simple in design: a pipe of gun
barrel metal, gun powder, a timer and detonator, and nails or
pellets. The deployment of these devices was as follows:

--In January 2005, police caught two men in the act of
planting a device under a Dublin residence. The two men were
arrested, charged with possession of explosive substances as
well as with membership of an unlawful organization under the
Offenses Against the State Act and are due to be sentenced.
(Note: Membership in the CIRA, RIRA, and PIRA is illegal in
the Republic of Ireland. End Note).
--In October, police found a device that was planted in west
Dublin.
--In November, police found a device in a car on a north
Dublin road near the airport.
--In December, police found a device in a car at a toll
bridge on a major motorway. In the ensuing investigation,
police arrested a man and charged him with possession of
explosive substances and membership of an unlawful
organization. According to the police, the man intended to
use the bomb against another criminal element in Dublin.
--On February 8, a device placed under a car at a north
Dublin car dealer exploded after it fell from the car.
--On February 10, a device was planted under a car at a
residence in northeast Dublin and later exploded.
--On February 15 a hoax bomb was planted under a car
belonging to a National Bureau of Criminal Investigation
officer.


3. (C) According to Detective Inspector Michael Larkin,
police are confident that they know who is responsible for
either making the explosives or training others in the craft.
He added that they have identified all the perpetrators and
that further arrests are pending the collection of more
substantial evidence.

Targeting Rival Gangs
--------------


4. (C) According Larkin, members of criminal and drug gangs
are the intended targets of these bombs. Larkin said that
the police suspect that drug barons are hiring the skills of
the Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) and Real IRA
(RIRA) explosives experts to target and intimidate rivals.
In the past two years, Dublin has witnessed an increase in
gang shootings, and Larkin suspects that that the gangs are
now upgrading from guns to bombs for sensational effect. He
added that some of the bomb targeting is for retribution in
turf wars or disputes over money.


5. (C) The officer targeted with a hoax bomb on February 10
belongs to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the
agency charged with investigations into major criminal
activity. However, Larkin ruled out the involvement of CIRA
and RIRA in this case.

No Political Motives
--------------


6. (C) Larkin commented that the recent spate of bomb
discoveries and their linkages to CIRA and RIRA elements does
not imply political motivations. He said that the evidence
points to individuals from these groups who, though they
still espouse Republican ideals, are selling their skills

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simply for profit or to ratchet up their criminal activities.
Larkin added that there is no evidence to support
involvement by Provisional IRA (PIRA) elements and that if
the PIRA had returned to violence, the bombs would
demonstrate a higher level of expertise and would not have
fallen so easily into police hands. Instead, he claimed that
the majority of these bombs were made by young criminal thugs
who use their status as CIRA and RIRA members to add an extra
level of intimidation to their targets.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) Comment: The police are treating the investigations
into the deployments of these bombs as a criminal matter
instead of as terrorism. The evidence points to these bombs
being produced for monetary gain vice political motivations.
End Comment.


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