Provisional Irish Republican Army

The Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA; more commonly referred to as the IRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the army or the Ra) is an Irish Republican paramilitary organisation. Since its emergence in 1969, its stated aim has been the reunification of Ireland which it believed could not be achieved without an armed campaign directed against British rule in Northern Ireland. On July 28, 2005, the Provisional IRA Army Council announced an end to its armed campaign, stating that it would work to achieve its aims using "purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means" and that " Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever".

External links

• Information on all IRA groups as well as the INLA
• CAIN (Conflict Archive Internet) Archive of IRA statements
• FAS Intelligence Resource Program - Irish Republican Army (IRA)
• Terrorism: Q & A Irish Republican Army
• The Irish Republican Army and the armed struggle in Irish politics