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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 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶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 
 
DUBLIN 00000207  002 OF 002 
 
 
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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Visit Dublin's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/dublin/index. cfm 
KENNY