NAME: Irish Republican Army (IRA) a.k.a. Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA), the Provos
DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: 1969.
GOALS: Removing British forces from Northern Ireland and unifying Ireland.
MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.
STRENGTH: Several hundred members, plus several thousand sympathizers.
OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Northern Ireland, Irish Republic, Great Britain, Europe.
AFFILIATIONS: Has, in the past, received aid from a variety of groups and countries and considerable training and arms from Libya and the PLO. Is suspected of receiving funds, arms, and other terrorist-related materiel from sympathizers in the United States. Similarities in operations suggest links to the ETA.
COMMENTS: Terrorist group formed as the clandestine armed wing of Sinn Fein, a legal political movement. Has a Marxist orientation. Organized into small, tightly knit cells under the leadership of the Army Council. Despite of some members to the dissident splinter groups, its numbers have remained steady. The IRA has been observing a cease-fire since July 1997 and previously observed a cease-fire from September 1994 to February 1996. NOT a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), but listed as "active" during 2000.
DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: 1969.
GOALS: Removing British forces from Northern Ireland and unifying Ireland.
MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.
STRENGTH: Several hundred members, plus several thousand sympathizers.
OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Northern Ireland, Irish Republic, Great Britain, Europe.
AFFILIATIONS: Has, in the past, received aid from a variety of groups and countries and considerable training and arms from Libya and the PLO. Is suspected of receiving funds, arms, and other terrorist-related materiel from sympathizers in the United States. Similarities in operations suggest links to the ETA.
COMMENTS: Terrorist group formed as the clandestine armed wing of Sinn Fein, a legal political movement. Has a Marxist orientation. Organized into small, tightly knit cells under the leadership of the Army Council. Despite of some members to the dissident splinter groups, its numbers have remained steady. The IRA has been observing a cease-fire since July 1997 and previously observed a cease-fire from September 1994 to February 1996. NOT a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), but listed as "active" during 2000.