1. Copying to be Different
John F. Morrison University of East London

2. Dissident Learning? Is terrorist learning always bad? Prisons Scotland
Trust

3. They’ve Gone Away, Haven’t They?
THREAT LEVELS Current threat level from Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Northern Ireland is assessed to be severe Current threat level from Northern Ireland-related terrorism Britain is assessed to be moderate (last updated 29 August, 2014)
BBC News, May

4. Explosive Devices

5. They’ve Gone Away Haven’t They?
THREAT LEVELS Current threat level from Northern Ireland-related terrorism in Northern Ireland is assessed to be severe Current threat level from Northern Ireland-related terrorism Britain is assessed to be moderate (last updated 29 August, 2014) But it is not all about ‘high end’ terrorism!
BBC News, May

6. PUNISHMENT ATTACKS

8. Deaths Kevin Kearney and David Black Since 2007: 14 known deaths
1 prison officer
2 policemen
2 soldiers
9 related to paramilitary vigilantism and internal feuds
“As a direct result of Kearney’s drug dealing many of our young people have lost their lives…The IRA will not allow this to continue” October 13th, 2013

9. Dissident Learning? Weaponry Planning Forensic Awareness
Understanding of police and security
Strategy
Tactics
Recruitment

10. Explosively Formed Projectile (EFP)
“Some of this technology has been tried and tested in Afghanistan and Iraq…There is no doubt that some of these dissident groups have looked at the IED development internationally. In terms of either meeting others in Iraq or Afghanistan or simply looking along the Internet I would say it was more the latter.” Assistant Chief Constable Bill Kerr, January 17th, 2015

11. Explosively Formed Projectile (EFP)
“Some of this technology has been tried and tested in Afghanistan and Iraq…There is no doubt that some of these dissident groups have looked at the IED development internationally. In terms of either meeting others in Iraq or Afghanistan or simply looking along the Internet I would say it was more the latter.” Assistant Chief Constable Bill Kerr, January 17th, 2015
“far more effective” than the ‘PRIG’ (Projected Recoilless Improvised Grenade)

13. Letter Bombs Year Number of Incidents 2003 1 2004 3 2012 2013 6 201410
2015

14. Letter Bombs Year Number of Incidents 2003 1 2004 3 2012 2013 6 201410
2015

15. Proxy Bombings Since 2010 7 high profile cases
4 targeting Strand Road PSNI station Derry
3 within 10 months (2013/14)
Localisation of tactics and targets
Look both nationally and locally

16. Locations of Violence Year Belfast Derry The Rest 2007 9.1% 81.8% 2008
12.5%
3.1%
84.4%
2009
34.7%
18.6%
46.7%
2010
20.9%
18%
61.1%
2011
37.3%
16.6%
46.1%
2012
45.9%
16.5%
37.6%
2013
49%
10.5%
40.5%
2014
39.3%
22.5%
38.2%
2015
46%
21.6%
32.4%

17. Dissident Learning Weaponry
Planning: Must understand what they are trying to achieve at a specific moment in time.
Forensic Awareness
Understanding of police and security
Strategy
Tactics
Recruitment

18. Survival Legitimisation Differentiation Support Relevancy
“We urged members that they must kill a British soldier face to face, no sniper, with a gun as the Provos hadn’t done that in years and this would prove that they were different.” Conor (January, 2009)
Copying to be different

19. Maghaberry Leading: Legitimisation Support Survival Victimisation
Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association

20. Conclusions Look both locally and nationally
Terrorist learning not just linked to ‘terrorism’
2016 and Beyond
Consider the immediate as well as the overall goals
The importance of the merger and ‘rebranding’

21. Thank You!