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FIVE MEN HAVE been arrested in a PSNI crackdown on the Belfast INLA.
The massive policing operation is ongoing across the greater Belfast area and involves over 200 police officers supported by their colleagues from the National Crime Agency and HMRC.
It is the latest operation of the PSNI’s Paramilitary Crime Task Force and is focussed on the criminal activities of the Belfast INLA.
The PSNI said:
“Today we have carried out a total of 12 property searches in North, South and West Belfast, Lisburn, Crumlin and Newtownabbey. Some of these are still under way.”
The operation was focussed on extortion, paramilitary assaults and prostitution.
One of the premises raided was the headquarters of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP), the political party aligned to the INLA. The group called the raid “blatant political policing”.
Five people were arrested – aged 33, 41, 48, 49 and 51 – with further arrests planned.
They have all been taken into police custody where they are currently being questioned by detectives.
Head of Crime Operations Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Martin said: “The October 2015 Assessment of Paramilitary Groups in NI by PSNI and MI5 at the request of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, stated very clearly that INLA’s structures remained in existence and that its members continued to be heavily involved in criminality including extortion, paramilitary style attacks and violent acts of intimidation against people allegedly involved in dealing drugs in communities. These activities were assessed to have a significant and negative impact on local communities and this made the INLA’s a priority for the PCTF.
“This search and arrest operation is the largest conducted by the Task Force to date and is the result of an investigation that has been under way for a significant period of time into the group’s criminality and specifically its involvement in extortion and prostitution.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to appeal to anyone who believes they or their business are the subject of extortion to contact officers at the Paramilitary Crime Task Force on our 101 non-emergency number. We want to hear from you and, as today’s action demonstrates, where we can secure evidence of these suspected offences we will take action.
“There has been a misconception in some quarters that the work of the Paramilitary Crime Task Force is focused only on loyalist paramilitaries. Today’s policing activity and a related operation in Derry/Londonderry in March clearly demonstrate that our work is to remove paramilitarism from all our communities across Northern Ireland.”
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The Democrats under Hillary turned into a spiteful little party. This whole thing reminds me of McCartheyism in the US in the 1950s. I spent the last week in the US and every time I turned on CNN, their only topic that they deemed newsworthy was attacking Trump on Russia links that have so far showed zilch. Nothing on Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Syria or even the way the US spending is out of control due to the US’s military expenditure. No, the only thing worth talking about is whether their could possibly be a link between Trump and Russia.
@Cal Mooney: showed zilch ? You not watching he and everyone around him has lied about Russian contacts .
@Cal Mooney: “But Hillary….”
@Cal Mooney: “their only topic that they deemed newsworthy was attacking Trump on Russia links that have so far showed zilch”
34 people indicted or plead guilty in the investigation. 26 Russians, including 12 GRU officers. 3 Russian companies. 6 former Trump advisors indicted, 5 plead guilty.
Is this the “zilch” you referred to?
@Seán Ó Briain: Sorry mate, have you ever heard of 6 degrees of separation? I bet I could find links between you and a foreign intelligence operative of any country. One of those Russians indicted did turn up to a court hearing and the case was immediately dropped. Anyway, going back to the McCatheyism comparison, I am sure Hillary and every rich Democrat and Republican could be found to have been played by lobbyists from one regime or another. How much do the Israelis pay to influence elections in the US. How much do the Brits pay. They are all the same.
@Cal Mooney: he lied he said he had no business interests or contacts with Russian while campaigning at the same time trying to build Trump Moscow .
@Cal Mooney: “Sorry mate, have you ever heard of 6 degrees of separation?”
Six degrees of separation? They are his foreign campaign aide, security advisor, head of his presidential campaign, his lawyer who lied about Trump’s financial interests in Russia and his advisor who lied to the house intelligence committee about trying to collude with wikileaks.
This isn’t six degrees of separation. These are his closest political aides.
@Cal Mooney: we are not talking “6-degrees of separation” here
We are talking about direct contact and face to face meetings and then subsequently denying the meeting or contact ever happened to the FBI and then pleading guilty when indicted.
37 people and entities have now been charged by Mueller, including 6 associates of Trump: Michael Flynn, Rick Gates, Paul Manafort, George Papadopoulos, Michael Cohen, and Roger Stone. Mueller has brought 199 total criminal charges in all.
@Cal Mooney: he’s a ruski alright. Lock him up or send him back to the gulag to his own.
@Seán Ó Briain: Do you even know what the initial allegation was?! It wasn’t an improper payment to a pornstar or a tax issue. Also, re the Russian indictments, they mean nothing as he will never get them in court. How convenient for Mueller! The Russian investigation is a damp squib. The real crime is how the deep state attempted a coup against an elected president.
@Diaspora’d: We can go through each one if you want. They all amount to nothing when it comes to the initial allegation. Pick one there..
@Jack Simpson: Clinton’s impeachment started out as an investigation into real estate deals (whitewater) in Arkansas ended up with perjury about Monica Lewinsky, that how these special investigations can go.
So Just like the Ken Starr investigation morphed, this Mueller investigation morphing from Russian interference into money laundering and or obstruction of justice is not beyond possiblity
@Diaspora’d: So what you are saying is that if you dig deep enough into any party member in the states, you will find something. Maybe not what you wanted to find in the first place, but definitely something. Funny that considering there is no law preventing anyone paying millions to any elected representative to convey the message they want e.g. AIPAC
@Cal Mooney: No law? There are numerous Campaign Finance laws, for Federal elections and numerous ones for State elections.
There are also IRS/Tax laws governing what is and isn’t allowable. Fall foul of them at you peril. Remember Democrat VP contender John Edwards?
I’m of the opinion that campaign finance reform is necessary but you cant claim there are “no law” for campaign contributions or financing
@Cal Mooney: I distinctly remember during the Obama administration Fox News and the Republican Party attacked Obama for literally anything. They ragged on him for wearing a shirt with a tie in the Oval Office rather than a suit jacket, and bemoaning Obama for what he ate in a sandwich once, that’s way more petty than anything CNN has accused Trump of doing I’m not taking sides but it’s hypocritical for republicans to complain about Democrats being petty to the president when they did the exact same thing when the shoe was on the other foot.
@Jack Simpson: poor Jack, do you understand how am indictment is achieved? A grand jury has to believe there is sufficient evidence to issue it. It’s not like Mueller can just wrote them up and announce them.
@Jack Simpson: deep state give it a break and put your tinfoil hat back on
Sessions calls Irish drunks .
Let go on the mother of all sessions to celebrate.
@BAAB: if he said that about the Jews you’d never here the end of it
This may be perceived toxic 4.9/10
@Dot Com: thankfully we are not that easily offended.
@Dot Com: you need to control the media for that type of outrage lol
Session wooo.. Irish men can build that wall too since we’ve built half the world, can always count on us, work hard and play hard ya little gnome of a man
@Patti o furniture: Keep in by the Wall.!!
Can’t argue with the logic
@Garreth Mc Mahon: I could!
A compliment
@Peter: now that we’re discussing stereotypes ,are all Americans as Dumb as shite?
Have to admit a little guilty pride at his observation..
Racism once again against us Irish.
@Ciarán O’ Donoghue: don’t be a snowflake, you could knock the shite out of him
@Gus Sheridan: are you saying that because of my massive traps in my picture?!? Love, not war.
@Ciarán O’ Donoghue: in fairness we are fairly comfortable with a few pints onboard. Fair comment.
@Ciarán O’ Donoghue: I’d rather we be a trustworthy people with a liking for drink than an untrustworthy sober people there the worst. Plus he looks like an evil Keebler elf for god sake he can’t call anybody names
What does he mean “but” at least their honest? Being drunk is great. There’s no need for the but. Irish are drunks and honest.
@Pajo Mata: I have to agree.
What reprehensible views on religion and race did he demonstrate?
@Winston Smith: Nothing a racist can’t excuse.
@Bryan Yelahw: ah I see, so just throwing around the vague accusation in the hope the label sticks then, much as you appear wont to do yourself. It’s curious really, do you think it’s ever going to dawn on you people how utterly ineffective that is, and how little people care about the right-on brigade’s labels? Ye called everyone who supported Trump or Brexit racist and other silly names, the same now against anyone who challenges status quo politics in Europe, and people demonstrably do not care what silly names they’re called. Someday logical arguments may have to replace the childish name calling, and that someday was a few years ago.
@Winston Smith: Nope, I am talking about your thinly veiled racism.
@Bryan Yelahw: and I’m talking about your unveiled childishness, lack of ability to apply logic, and general stupidity. In fairness I should’ve realised you’d struggle to understand that, so it’s my fault really.
Looking forward to seeing Andrew McCabe + others posing in orange jump suits very soon for attempting to illegitimately oust an elected president.
Sessions is a miserable little Weasel and “The Donald” agrees. Let’s invite Jeff over for Paddy’s Day and we can take him down to Athenry and paint his little Arse Face Green.
How dare he speak about the Irish like that. Muppet
He thinks FBI is Feckin Blutered Irish
Smart people don’t generalize
I don’t feel guilty for being white
So at least he is consistent……!
Next rounds on you Boss.
Demonization of HC is so wrong. Has achieved immense good work for America. Chelsea for president!
Racist Sessions, what would you expect from a guy from #alabama, #ASS
@James Reidy: only racist to those who are looking for things to be offended by. He called us all honest thanks Jeff
Reading through these posts I could be mistaken thinking I was on one of the American forums, with right and left both spewing out their crazy ideas. Both sides are right to a certain extent, Trump is a corrupt imbecile and yes the Mueller investigation does have the smell of an attempted bloodless coup. The Republican party has sold it’s soul to he Saudis Russians Israeli and Qatar
have your say