REPUBLICANS HAVE pledged to kill more police officers and branded next month’s visit by Queen Elizabeth as an “insult”.
Addressing an Easter Rising commemoration in Derry’s City Cemetery, the Real IRA denounced the PSNI, the Catholic Church, constitutional nationalism and what it called “the criminal free state government”.
A statement read out by a masked man in paramilitary uniform warned that those serving in the PSNI were “serving the occupation” and were thus “liable for execution”.
It denied it was in talks with either the Irish or British governments and insisted it would not do so unless such discussions centred on “the restoration of Irish sovereignty”.
Addressing a crowd of more than 200, as a PSNI helicopter monitored events, he said: “The Queen of England is wanted for war crimes in Ireland and not wanted on Irish soil. We will do our best to ensure she and the gombeen class that act as her cheerleaders get that message.”
The statement is a direct rebuttal of claims made by Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness at one of his party’s Easter commemorations just 24 hours earlier, also in Co Derry, that dissident violence was futile and doomed to failure.
“The small factions currently engaging in armed actions are not the IRA and they are not advancing national and democratic objectives by their activities,” Mr McGuinness said.
But the Real IRA, referring to itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann, showed it is holding to its traditional analysis.
“Óglaigh na hÉireann call on any young nationalist who may have been sold the lie that the RUC/PSNI is somehow a reformed, non-political police service to think again. Those who think they are serving their community are in fact serving the occupation and will be treated as such,” it said.
In response to the chorus of condemnation throughout Ireland of the murder of PSNI officer Ronan Kerr in Omagh on April 2nd it added: “The GAA, Catholic Church and constitutional nationalism will be unable to protect those who turn traitor. They are as liable for execution as anyone else regardless of their religion, cultural background or motivation.”
Turning to the Queen’s visit to the Republic, her first, the organisation called for “the Irish people” to stand in opposition.
“Óglaigh na hÉireann urge all self-respecting Irishmen and women to resist the upcoming insult that is the visit of a British monarch to Irish soil. The criminal free state government invite is not on behalf of the Irish people but to further the selfish interests of a self-serving elite.”
Accusing a coalition of vested interests of backing the visit it warned: “Despite the best efforts of the media, big business, and other power blocs to portray this visit as acceptable we clearly state that the Irish people will not capitulate.”
The organisation denied Sinn Féin claims it was in negotiations with the governments in London or Dublin or their proxies.
“Those who continually repeat this lie must explain their actions and we must clearly question their motivation,” the spokesman said.
“If the British are serious about discussing the restoration of Irish sovereignty then we will listen to their proposals, anything else is a waste of time.” It also accused the PSNI of “a calculated action” in allowing motorists to drive past a large van bomb placed under a bridge carrying the main Dublin-Belfast road earlier this month.