Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)
People's Liberation Army (PLA)
People's Republican Army (PRA)
Catholic Reaction Force (CRF)

Description      

A war for national liberation continues in Ireland today, which traces its roots to the original conquest of the island by Britain in 1167. In its most current phase, this war has centered on bringing to an end the continued occupation by Britain of six counties in Northeast Ireland. The Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) and Irish National Liberation Army [INLA] were founded on December 10, 1974. Most original members were drawn from Official Sinn Fein and the Official IRA (the organizations from which the Provisional Irish Republican Movement had split five years earlier). INLA, which initially used the name People's Liberation Army (PLA) and has also used a number of covernames including People's Republican Army (PRA) and Catholic Reaction Force (CRF), is a radical terrorist group dedicated to removing British forces from Northern Ireland and unifying Ireland. The object of the INLA remains a 32-county socialist republic, wherein the Irish working class will control the means of production, distribution and exchange, administered by the proletariat through workers' democracy.

Activities

While acknowledging that national liberation and socialism cannot be achieved through a military victory by guerrilla forces in the national liberation campaign, the IRSP defends the right of the revolutionary forces to employ this tactic whenever useful to achieve its aims. The Party also understands that no parliamentary road to socialism exists, and feels no compulsion to participate in all electoral campaigns, but is prepared to use parliamentary politics and hold elective office as a means of carrying out propaganda, and where possible to aid the self-organization of the working class towards winning immediate objectives.

INLA activities have included bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, extortion, and robberies. During the 1980s, the INLA continued to engage the occupation forces in the Six Counties while also carrying out military actions that underlined the character of its political line, such as assassinations of Loyalist paramilitarists like John McKeage of the Red Hand Commandos and the bombing of the Mount Gabriel radar station near Cork, Ireland. Since August 1994 the INLA held to a 'No First Strike' policy of not initiating any offensive military action, while continuing to respond in actions against the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). INLA recently ended its no first strike policy in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement.

Jailed loyalist terrorist leader Billy Wright was shot five times at close range by three Irish National Liberation Army gunmen at the top security Maze prison on 27 December 1997. Wright was the leader of the LVF loyalist terrorist organization. Riots followed that evening when loyalist gangs in Portadown and other towns hijacked and burned cars and attacked police with Molotov cocktails. In retaliation for Wright's killing, three men opened fire in front of the Glengannon Hotel on December 28, killing 45-year-old former IRA terrorist and convicted murderer (released in 1994) Seamus Dillon. Three others, including a 14-year-old boy, were wounded. The LVF claimed responsibility for the attack, as well as a subsequent new year's eve attack on a North Belfast bar which fatally wounded 31-year-old Catholic Eddie Treanor.

Strength

Several dozen, plus several hundred sympathizers.

Location/Area of Operation

Northern Ireland, Irish Republic, Great Britain, and Europe.

External Aid

Has received aid from a variety of groups and countries and considerable training and arms from Libya and, at one time, the PLO. Also is suspected of receiving funds and arms from sympathizers in the United States. Similarities in operations suggest links to the ETA.

The Irish National Liberation Army
—by DM Gould

The Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) and Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) were founded on 10 December 1974 by Séamus Costello and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey. 

Most of the members of the INLA were from Official Sinn Féin and the Official IRA (‘stickies’). The People's Liberation Army (PLA) was an umbrella group composed of the INLA and members of the PIRA and OIRA, who joined in helping the IRSM defend itself from attacks from the OIRA.

The objective of the INLA is the same as Connolly’s — a  32 county socialist republic, free and independent of british control, and run by the Irish working class.

Three of the 10 republican hunger strikers who died in 1981 were in the INLA: Patsy O Hara, Kevin Lynch and Mickey Devine.

The INLA is probably best known for the killing of Margaret Thatcher's close aide, Airey Neave in a car bomb at the House of Commons car park.

Two of their better known bombings are the Mount Gabriel radar station near Cork, Ireland and the Droppin' Well disco in Ballykelly, Co Derry, which killed 11 british soldiers! 

They have also attacked NATO targets in Germany as part of their 'anti-imperialist' struggle.

Additionally, the INLA has successfully killed a number of loyalist paramilitaries like John McKeage of the Red Hand Commandos and the terrorist leader of the LVF, Billy Wright (27 December 1997).^1,2

Since August 1994, the INLA has held to a 'No First Strike' policy of not initiating any offensive military action, while continuing to respond in actions against the RUC or in retaliation (e.g. Billy 'The Rat' Wright).

In the 1980s and early 1990s, growth within the INLA was stunted with in-fighting. In 1987, 13 INLA members died in a murderous vendetta when the IPLO issued a statement that the INLA must disband. 

However, the INLA now has an internal cohesion — the last round of faction (1996) fighting occurred when the then INLA chief of staff, Hugh 'Cueball' Torney's violated INLA regulations regarding ceasefire. 

Torney was arrested for attempting to smuggle weapons from the Republic to the North of Ireland, and attempted to plea bargain by offering a ceasefire in return for a lighter sentence. 

He was ousted as chief of staff. In an attempt to incite more fighting, Torney’s supporters were hired by the Brits to assassinate the newly appointed INLA chief of staff, Gino Gallagher.³

Although already on the 'No First Strike' policy, the INLA declare a 'ceasefire' in 1998. 

It has since offered loyalists a 'non-aggression pact' under which rival armed groups would agree not to attack each other and even work together to reduce sectarian tensions on the ground. So far the loyalists have yet to respond.

In October of 1999 INLA Volunteer Patrick Campbell (22) was found shot in the head in south Dublin. Campbell was beaten and wounded several times with a machete the city's Ballymount estate.

He had died in a dispute protecting the community from drugs. He was given full paramilitary honours at his funeral and INLA sources allegedly vowed to avenge his death. 

On 30 Mar 2000, Patrick Neville (31), a drug pusher, who was believed to have been part of the death of Patrick Neville was found shot in the head in the stairwell of some flats in Inchicore. Gardai believe the murder might have been in retaliation for the death of Patrick Campbell.

Footnotes:

¹Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) Communiqué Concerning The Execution of Billy Wright AKA "King Rat"
    "The Irish National Liberation Army claims responsibility for the execution of "King Rat", Billy Wright. This action was taken against the backdrop of ongoing genocide against the nationalist community. These attacks are being mainly conducted by the LVF (Loyalist Volunteer Force), until this morning by Billy Wright. The execution of Wright is in keeping with the Irish National Liberation Army's position of defense and retaliation - it does not breach our no first strike policy.
    In conclusion, we warn loyalist paramilitaries against further attacks against the nationalist community. If this warning is not heeded we will have no hesitation in making sure those who prey on the nationalist working class pay the ultimate price." December 27, 1997(Source: Irish Republican Socialist Committees, North America)
²In retaliation for Wright's killing, three men opened fire in front of the Glengannon Hotel on 28 December, killing 45-year-old former IRA volunteer, Séamas Dillon. The INLA retaliated with the murder of south Belfast UDA man Jim Guiney.
³In February 1996 Hugh Torney was assassinated in Lurgan.

Credits:

• My thanks to P Urban and K Mc Gorrian for their help with this article.
• Photos courtesy of M Crumlish, Tony O Hara and the Irish Republican Socialist Party

See Also:

• Bid to Honour Doctor Death
• Billy Wright's Father Loses Murder File Access Bid
• 'Border Fox' may be Next to go Free Under Peace Deal 
• Communards: Interview with IRSP
• Connolly and Republican Socialist Organisational Strategy
• Costello Commemoration 2003
• Danny Loughran
• The Day I Met Airey Neave's Killers 
• Dr Death's Dad Unmoved by Honour 
• First Allegiance — A Socialist Republic (Bernadette Devlin McAliskey speaks on Seamus Costello)
• Following in the Footsteps of Connolly 
• Founding Statement of the IRSP
• Full Text of the Irish National Liberation Army Interview Used for the Sunday Life Article Published in February 2002
• History of Republican Socialism
• INLA Gives Response to Camera Attacks
• INLA Killers Brag About Murder of Tory Leader
• INLA Freedom Fighters (song)
• In Memory of Seamus Costello
• Irish Republican Socialist Movement
• IRSP 11th Ard-Fheis - October 2000
• The Legacy of Seamus Costello 
• The Man in Black
• Mary Reid
• Michael Montgomery
• Miriam Daly
• New Allegations Over INLA Killing of Airey Neave Denied
• Of Decommissioning and Opportunism
• Republican Socialist Joins Hunger Strike
• The Revolutionary
• Seamus Costello — Revolutionary Socialist
• Speech at the Unveiling of a Teach na Failte Memorial to the memory of INLA Volunteer Hugh Ferguson and Comrade Hugh O  Neill by Eddie McGarrigle
• The Starry Plough Song
• Statement on the 5th Anniversary of the INLA Cease-Fire by the Leadership of the Irish National Liberation Army
• Straight From the Heart 
• This is Republican Socialism!
• The Thomas "Ta" Power Document
• A way Forward for Republicanism
• Why Evolution Cannot Replace Revolution
• Young Neil McMonagle

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