'New IRA' Believed To Be Involved After Weapon Found In Co Tyrone

Police believe the 'new IRA' was involved after a suspected Armalite-type assault rifle was recovered in Strabane, Co Tyrone, on Friday.

Superintendent Mark McEwan, the Derry City & Strabane District Commander said he believed the weapon, with ammunition, had been intended to be used to attcked police officers.

He said: "We believe this was brought into the area in and attempt to carry out an attack on police. That would have been an attempt to kill police officers, but the calibre of this weapon is such that it is capable of penetrating walls, so any type of attack carried out using this weapon is totally regardless of the safety of the community. People in their own homes would not have been safe if this weapon was fired in a built-up area.

"Those who were intent on using this weapon have no concern whatever for the safety of the community."

The find will be subjected to a full forensic examination, however at this stage it is believed to be "the real thing".

West Tyrone Ulster Unionist MLA Ross Hussey said: "For some time now I have questioned the decommissioning of weaponry by the IRA. I am convinced that there were groups within the Provisional IRA that did not comply with the decommissioning instructions and instead retained some of the weapons and ammunition that were under their control.

"The fact is that we do not know what was decommissioned and we certainly have no list of what was not. The Police have described the weapon recovered on Friday evening in Strabane as an armalite-type assault rifle which belonged to the group styling itself the 'New IRA'. This concerns me greatly as it is clearly is a weapon with great firepower and was brought into the area to kill a member of the security forces. Past experience tells us that there is also a threat to the public, not least if a child were to come across it.

"Given the number of weapons recovered on both sides of the border by the PSNI and the Garda in recent months, it is clear that a quantity is old Provisional IRA stock. Sinn Fein often demand truth and transparency from others. It would be helpful if they were to call on the IRA Army Council to come clean on what was decommissioned and more importantly what was not. Only they know exactly what weaponry they had and where it was distributed. They also know what was decommissioned and what remains unaccounted for.

"This group has called itself the 'New IRA'. Regardless of what title they may use, I see it all as the 'one sows litter'. I am however heartened at the success being enjoyed by both the PSNI and the Garda in terms of weapons seized, arrests made and terrorist operations disrupted. It is quite clear that the Security services have these groups well-penetrated in terms of informants, agents and surveillance operations."

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan said: "This discovery of this weapon is a deeply worrying development. Illegal and irresponsible gun ownership is very dangerous and we have seen weapons of this type used in illegal activity including the attempted murder of police.

"The illegal storing of firearms is unacceptable and it allows those who committed to violence to continue to put the public at risk. We must all be vigilant against this threat and I would encourage anyone with any relevant information to contact the police immediately."

(CD)