Hardline republicans recruiting on Facebook
A hardline republican group in Fermanagh is using Facebook to recruit young people, reports The Impartial Reporter today.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement, which has a faction operating in the county, is using the website to attract teenagers.
The group is regarded as the Real IRA’s political wing, although members would deny this.
PSNI Chief Inspector Alywin Barton said his officers were “very much aware” of the group’s “continued efforts” to attract young people.
“It is deeply worrying that they are continuing to draw in new members and it would be extremely naive to think otherwise,” he said.
Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott says he is “deeply concerned” by the group’s recruitment tactics in the county.
“I have concerns that there may be a number of different dissident elements at work that may be co-operating with each other, and indeed, with the mainstream republican movement. I have huge concerns that the key element of this activity is in Fermanagh.”
Presumably MI5 will be monitoring Facebook and Bebo social network sites as well as blogs operated by ‘disaffected’ individuals, groups and organisations.
What is about,’we will not surrender to cowardly terrorists’,that they don’t understand ?
It is hard to be too concerned about something as open as facebook.
Perhaps if Stormont, and the department of education in particular, was making more of an effort to engage with these disaffected young people, groups like this would be unable to attract them into their midst.
But then again, our local politicians have never been a fan of the maxim “prevention is better than cure”. Why should Ms Ruane waste her department’s money when David Ford has a shiny new department that can deal with the problem when they’re all grown up and terrorising their community?
Perhaps if these disaffected young people/future terrorists,were to pick up a history book,they would learn that every other ‘armed struggle’ has failed,and failed dismally !!
quote………..” Why should Mz Ruin waste her department’s money……” It was at this point,that you lost any credibility you had !!!
You sound like a tank commander without a tank. Níl a leithéid de thír ann mar NI. Is it the Irish you don’t understand?
I presume MI5 will be joining up.
heinz guderian ,
‘they would learn that every other ‘armed struggle’ has failed,and failed dismally !!
Would they ? The French Revolution ? The American , The Easter Rising (eventually) – Simon Bolivar’s revolution against the Spanish Empire ?
These young people need to be told that what the dissidents are offering them is an early death or a life in prison and nothing else not even seven houris to accomodate their wishes once they pass the mortal coil .
Surely Facebook are in contravention of the law if they are seen to be facilitating the abuse of less than mature people for violent activities ?
Arrest the f*****s ffs
If this is true then Facebook should shut it down immediately, enough young lives have been ruined.
Of course campaign for a Utd Ireland it is what so many of us want, but dont use violence and dont recruit youngsters to be used as canon fodder.
Arrest them for what exactly??
The 32CSM is not illegal. They have open offices and can be contacted by phone.
Aye. Facebook is being used to recruit for the IRA.
This guff may pass as credible in the Impartial Reporter.
Are we meant to take this nonsense seriously here?
What a load of Daily Mail guff transplanted to the far West!
green flag
I know you knew that I meant irish republican,’armed struggle’,so why the time wasting nonsense ??
soccer (what names these peasants have)…..about 3 miles as the crow flies !!
Classic scare story. Mark has it about right I think.
Mark McGregor
Daily Mail guff transplanted to the west? You are of course referring to the Alamo. And whats so special about the Daily Mail? I must buy it one day and find out what the fuss is about.
As far as I know this was presented as serious and it would not be the first time republican groups used young, inexperienced people. I remember one lad blowing himself and very little else up on a no 15 bus in London.
It may be that this is just the idle chatter of ‘social networking’ but it is still worth noticing and making disagreement clear.
Gari,
But look, you already have a call from one commenter on Slugger to shut down Facebook on the basis of this crap.
Some people, quite a few, will end up believing this bullshit. Rodney should be totally ashamed of writing such utter nonsense.
Hardline republicans aren’t recuiting via Facebook and he knew that as he typed every letter.
Worst blog ever (barring mine)
Agree with Garibaldy and Mark.
This is the closest thing possibly to a non-story, if such can exist. I hope they’ve got someone monitoring bebo and Twitter, because they’re likely in recruitment mode too, what with all this unemployment and the likes.
The usual repackaged securocrat-obsessions.
Mark,
I wouldn’t have blogged this either, unless I was going to make fun of it for being so silly. Some of the comments – calling for arrests and the shutting down of facebook – have totally over the top in my view.
As for the recruiting thing. I would be surprised if – like probably every other political organisation in the English-speaking world – the 32 CSM didn’t have a facebook page with details of how to get in contact if you wanted to join. Perfectly normal.
Another good reason to stay off facebook as far as I’m concerned
I take it we mean ‘cannon’ fodder … or do we?
Spot on!
As a young man I am wondering how did the provo’s ever recruit without facebook and bebo.
socaire!
You are back with your usual obsession. Oh the memories…
Did I make a spelling mistake? Diddums.
I meant, and you are no doubt an expert on this, one of those long metal things you put a ball in aim, not necessarily carefully, and fire. It goes bang!
There was me thinking you were back on your usual broom of Father Pat McGroin.
The Skibereen Eagle rides again!!!!!!
socaire!
The broom is never far away, check the little blog and see, such a stylish photo I thought. Oh I forgot, dignity on a bandwagon is everything…
Father what? You will have to explain. I know my fathers name, that aint even close.
I think this probably is a non story, but then there is no harm in firing a warning shot.
Im in a good mood, an admittedly rare event.
Of course I love all eagles and the Skibereen has a special place, but you, who has been so carefully reconnoitering for weeks, hee, hee, are far more worthy of the title than little old me. BTW, see the cat? Both eyes wide open and watchful…
I know some (not all) of the contras are intellectually challenged, but if any of them were ever stupid enough to be doing anything over the interweb, never mind actual recruitment, then they truly would be the monty python crew of the paramilitary world.
Just think of it, Branch and MI5 personnel sitting in the office with the feet up, eating pizza and playing online poker – because facebook is doing their job for them…
As Mark and others have indicated, Rodney wants to catch a grip, leave this sort of shite for the sunday rags.
so—what are they saying on facebook? Anything illegal?
If not…then besides having lots of inuendo’s in this story….then they are not doing anything unlawful and should be able to post what they want.
Maybe they should shut down Yahoo as well. They keep delivering to me unsolicited e-mails threatening to make my penis unfeasibly large and others promising to enrich me beyond my wildest dreams with Nigerian gold. Who could withstand such blandishments ? I’m only human after all.
p.s. In answer to Peter Fyfe’s question asking how the IRA managed without Facebook and Bebo in ye olde tymes – seemples! – they allowed the behaviour of the British Army and the RUC to act as their recruiting publicity.
old school ,
‘The 32CSM is not illegal. ‘
Did I state they were illegal ?
‘They have open offices and can be contacted by phone.’
So can the Church of Scientolgy , the UUP and the 45th Church of Christ the Pink panther
Arrest them for what exactly??
I was referring to Facebook .
I’m aware of the Partial Reporter’s tendency to err on the side of paranoia and the absorbent quality of the Daily Mail in extremis but Mr Edwards has performed a public service in highlighting the possible consequences for young people in NI to having the wrong kind of friends on Facebook .
There’s nothing wrong with wanting a United Ireland or working for one in a non violent manner . It will however only be achieved by ‘breeding ‘ a fact that even the 32 CSM would understand . ‘Breeding’ is not possible when one is dead or confined to a lifetime in prison
Mr Edwards alas failed to get the latter point across but then considering the politics of his employer -perfectly understandable .
heinz guderian ,
Say what you mean and mean what you say and there’ll be less of a chance of misunderstanding . Calling a spade a spade when you need one will mean not being given a fork by mistake
?
Lads, lads and lassies -it’s a party political piece made on behalf of the Partial Reporter to help promote the local candidate Tom Elliot as contender for the leadership of the UUP in the coming party election . The 12th is over and there’s not much happening .
Now back to the Sun page 3 for ‘intelligent ‘ discourse 
Fermanagh Soth Tyrone has a nationialist majority. Isn’t it time their wishes were respected and the occupiers packed up their bags and went, as they have done in so many places. Som e of the Unionist posters are as funny as “terrorists recruiting on facebook”. Neither is to be taken seriously.
Is it a slow news day on slugger or something?
So you are in favour of repartition then ? I’m eh taking you seriously .
Rory Carr: Your post is funny but an unfunny foot note: people do get taken in by the Nigerian scam and some have lost their lives by suicide through it.
As regards gettking a bigger penis: the trick, if you are male is to get a smaller one. Then you get work done.
Greenflag: Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry, South Down and South Armagh are in a jurisdiction against the expressed will of their people. They do not belong there so yes, repartition now. Then we can discuss North and West Belfast (open city?) and other parts of the occupied zone.
Thank you for that advice, Alan, but don’t don’t you think that we already have enough little pricks on this site without encouraging any more?
Oh well Rory if you are content with being a big prick, so be it.
Meanwhile Turkish extremists are also using Facebook to spread their message of hate, as George Bush (remember him)would have said.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/07/29/facebook_translation_turkey_prank/
Yeah Heinz, that is why the Union Jack is still flying over every public puilding in the Twenty -Six counties!
Pip
Why is it when a youth, just turned eighteen years, is killed in Afghanistan he is instantly transformed in to a brave mature dedicated soldier etc while a Nationalist youth of the same age resisting British Armed presence in Ireland with a gun in his hand as the best of his kind have done for centuries, is portrayed as a misled child or a young, mindless tug?
And do not forget the odd riot in Portlaoise, the Curragh etc. Nothing like a good whack of a baton between the ears to an innocent bystander to inculcate a bit of political thinking about the state. Was always good for a few dozen recruits. Pluss of course the branch car kidnap, few bruised ribs and dump out miles away etc. Ah for the good old days……. face book indeed!
MV
I think it has to do with whether or not a young lad is in an actual, identifiable army. Personally I dont care, since I think, in relation to Ireland all sides have made full use of any available and gullible youth.
I do think the Brits are entitled to mourn their own dead as they see fit, just as I think Ireland or any other country is, but Ireland cannot have two or more armies that is a recipe for disaster.
Pip
Agreed,simple, Brits out, problem solved!
MV
Yep, just keep the eviction peaceful. No more wasted youth.
Since it is a slow day on slugger……( SDOS……we should adopt this into the site lingua ) I thought a reminder of this specific Irish, Nigerian scam may rise a laugh or two. Enjoy!
http://bigscam.blogspot.com/2007/04/maureen-haughey.html
Alan Maskey is funny.