Reasoning for Real IRA murder 'hypocritical' - IMC

The latest IMC report, published on May 26, covered the activities of paramilitaries in period between September 1 2009 and the end of February 2010.

Kieran Doherty was stripped, bound and shot three times on the outskirts of Londonderry on February 24. In claiming the killing the Real IRA claimed Mr Doherty had been a 'senior member' of the organisation who had been 'executed' for his involvement in the drugs trade and that he was aware of the 'penalties' faced by members of the organisation for becoming involved in drugs.

Mr Doherty's family stringently denied that he was involved in the drugs trade and that he had left the Real IRA some time previously to concentrate on getting married and raising his family.

The IMC report stated: "The Real IRA committed and publicly claimed, the one paramilitary murder which happened during the six months (review period). The body of a man (Kieran Doherty) shot three times, stripped and bound, was found on February 24, 2010 in Derry. He was a Real IRA member, murdered by the Real IRA allegedly because he was involved in the drugs trade.

"We are struck by the Real IRA's hypocrisy in claiming to enforce a moral code by committing murder."

A police spokeswoman in Londonderry said: "Detectives continue to investigate the murder of 31-year-old Kieran Doherty in Derry on February 24 2010 and would appeal for anyone who has information about his death to come forward."

It was also stated in the IMC report that the Real IRA was: "Heavily involved in a variety of serious crime, including extortion, fuel laundering, robbery, tiger kidnapping and smuggling - mainly of tobacco.

"We believe that both the organisation and the perpetrators individually benefited from the proceeds."

The 23rd report from the IMC also recorded that the Real IRA in Northern Ireland have two bases, amongst others, in Londonderry and Donegal.

The IMC report also highlights various incidents carried out by the Real IRA in the North West. The report stated that the Real IRA were involved in "sporadic public disorder outside the parades season. The incidents are sometimes in reaction to action taken by the PSNI."

The report continued by stating one of the places that this was most likely to occur was in Londonderry. And, the report also suggests that the organisation was responsible for the orchestrating of some of these disturbances - specifically in the city and in Strabane in October 2009, after republican, John Brady, was found dead in his cell at Strand Road PSNI Station.

The report concluded that whilst dissident republicans remain highly dangerous, they estimate they are unlikely to be able to mount a campaign like that of the Provisional IRA (PIRA). Organisations such as the Real IRA and Continuity IRA have continued to recruit new members - specifically those who have no previous experience in terrorism and have attempted to continue to procure weapons. The report also states that former members of PIRA have 'helped' dissident organisations with their activities, but this has been performed on an ad hoc, as opposed to a dedicated, basis.