New IRA Killing

From the BBC:

“Lyra McKee killing: 'New IRA' admits responsibility”

The New IRA has admitted responsibility for the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, according to the Irish News. In a statement given to the paper the group offered "full and sincere apologies" to her family and friends. Ms McKee, 29, was shot in the head on Thursday night while observing rioting in Londonderry's Creggan estate. On Tuesday police confirmed the arrest of a 57-year-old woman in connection with Ms McKee's death. The woman was arrested under the Terrorism Act. Police say there has been a "massive response" to her killing and have urged more members of the public to come forward. The statement from the New IRA comes after the hard-left republican political party Saoradh - which has the support of the New IRA - had previously sought to justify the use of violence on Thursday.  Ms McKee was standing near a police 4x4 vehicle when she was shot after a masked gunman fired towards police and onlookers. A protest by friends of Ms McKee took place on Monday outside the office of Saoradh, a political group linked to the New IRA. A number of women smeared red paint in hand prints on republican slogans outside the office. Police were present but did not make any immediate arrests. Police said the public response to the killing had been "massive".  Det Supt Jason Murphy said there had been a "palpable change" in community sentiment in support of their investigation, in terms of off-the-record intelligence. He has urged members of the public to "come forward and have a conversation with me". It is understood that police and the Public Prosecution Service have discussed what measures could be available to protect witnesses fearful of giving evidence at trial. The New IRA is believed to have been formed between 2011 and 2012 following the merger of a number of smaller groups, including the Real IRA, which itself was born out of a split in the mainstream Provisional IRA (PIRA) in October 1997 over Sinn Fein's embrace of the peace process. The New IRA has been linked with four murders. Ms McKee's killing came 21 years after the Good Friday peace agreement was signed in Northern Ireland. The 1998 peace deal marked the end in the region of decades of violent conflict - known as the Troubles - involving republicans and loyalists during which about 3,600 people are estimated to have died. The Good Friday Agreement was the result of intense negotiations involving the UK and Irish governments and Northern Ireland's political parties. Ms McKee's funeral will be held at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast on Wednesday. Her partner, Sara Canning, said the service would be a "celebration of her life".

^ There is no reason for the New IRA or any Catholic or Protestant para-military group to continue using violence and murder to achieve their goals (whether for a reunited Ireland or keeping Northern Ireland inside the United Kingdom.) The Troubles are over and so should the killing and wounding.

The Troubles in Northern Ireland (1968-1998) started when Northern Irish Catholics peacefully demanded equal Civil Rights – the same ones given to Northern Irish Protestants and British citizens. The response of the Northern Irish Protestants was death and violence. The British Army was deployed to Northern Ireland and initially welcomed by the Northern Irish Catholics as a neutral force. All of that changed when the British Army started massacring innocent men, women and children simply because they were Catholic (which the British Prime Minister and Government eventually admitted to doing decades later.) Because of the violent actions of both the Northern Irish Protestants and the British Government the Northern Irish Catholics stopped their peaceful protests and followed the Protestants’ example of death and violence. The Troubles ended with the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 which finally gave Northern Irish Catholics equal rights with Northern Irish Protestants as well as the Welsh, the Scots and the English. 3,532 people from all sides were killed (52% of them were civilians) and 47,500 people from all sides were wounded (60% of them were Northern Irish Catholics) during The Troubles. 

The only solution to the Northern Ireland status today (whether to be reunited with Ireland or stay inside the United Kingdom) should be a referendum on the issue and not violence. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48018615