
		   IRA Splinter Group `Poses Growing Threat'

PA   10/30/97 22:24   

Copyright 1997 PA News

  An IRA splinter group, The Continuity IRA, poses a growing threat, 
the RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan has claimed.

   He was speaking after the dissident republicans opposed to Sinn 
Fein's peace strategy admitted responsibility for a Semtex bomb attack 
which put hundreds of lives at risk in the centre of Londonderry 
yesterday.

   A masked gunman left a incendiary device containing one and a half 
pounds of explosives and taped to two gallons of petrol at a 
government office building.

   More than 300 civil servants fled and although the detonator 
exploded, the bomb, inside a holdall, failed to ignite the main 
charge.

   The Continuity IRA admitted responsibility for the attack, but the 
disclosure by security sources that Semtex was used means this 
breakaway group has got its hands on a type of powerful explosives 
which the Provisional IRA apparently had previously only access too.

   It was the second major CIRA attack since the Provisionals restored 
their ceasefire three months ago.

   A huge van bomb devastated part of Markethill, Co Armagh last 
month. It also contained commercial explosives, but the type was never 
revealed.

   Mr Flanagan told BBC Northern Ireland that yesterday's bomb had 
been a "viable device".

   "We had anticipated an attack by the Continuity IRA for some time 
now, and at this stage although it is too soon to be definitive, this 
would seem to be the work of that organisation.

   "They showed in Markethill what they are capable of and people must 
be vigilant against that threat."

   The CIRA statement said: "The operation was carried out to remind 
the British government and those at the Stormont talking shop that 
there will be no peace in Ireland until the three demands of 
republicans are met -- troops out, the release of all republican 
prisoners of war and the holding of an all-Ireland convention to draw 
up a new constitution for a 32-county Ireland."
 
