NAME: Red Hand Defenders (RHD)
DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: Late 1990s.
GOALS: Prevent a political settlement with Irish nationalists by attacking Catholic civilian interests in Northern Ireland.
MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.
STRENGTH: Up to 20 members.
OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Northern Ireland.
AFFILIATIONS: None.
COMMENTS: Extremist terrorist group composed largely of Protestant hardliners from other loyalist groups observing a cease-fire. RHD was quiet in 2000, following a damaging crackdown by security forces in late 1999. In prior years, the group has carried out numerous pipe bombings and arson attacks against "soft" civilian targets, such as homes, churches, and private businesses, to cause outrage in the republican community and to provoke IRA retaliation. NOT a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) but listed as "active" during 2000.
DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: Late 1990s.
GOALS: Prevent a political settlement with Irish nationalists by attacking Catholic civilian interests in Northern Ireland.
MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.
STRENGTH: Up to 20 members.
OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Northern Ireland.
AFFILIATIONS: None.
COMMENTS: Extremist terrorist group composed largely of Protestant hardliners from other loyalist groups observing a cease-fire. RHD was quiet in 2000, following a damaging crackdown by security forces in late 1999. In prior years, the group has carried out numerous pipe bombings and arson attacks against "soft" civilian targets, such as homes, churches, and private businesses, to cause outrage in the republican community and to provoke IRA retaliation. NOT a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) but listed as "active" during 2000.