Irish Republican Army

The Provisional IRA, also known as the The Irish Republican Army or IRA was a terrorist organization fighting against the British in Ireland, claiming to represent the nationalist largely Catholic.

The organisation is associated with Sinn Fein, although a direct associasion is offically denied. The policy of violence was undermined by a number of peace initiatives and a loss of support for a violent programme - the conciliatory handling of the situation first by John Major and later by Tony Blair is often held up as an example of a more effective example of counter-terrorism than invading irrelevant countries. The policy of violence was further undermined after 911, which prompted the USA Government to take a tougher line on terrorism and a loss of financial support that had previously arrived from the United States of America, via Noraid.

IRA terrorists have since been caught helping FARC terrorists in Colombia.