12.09.1996

Back in business

Last week Hugh Torney, a former chief of staff of the Irish National Liberation Army, was shot dead in Lurgan, Co Armagh. Torney was replaced after independently declaring a ceasefire from a Dublin courtroom, where he faced arms charges. He was believed to be behind a series of attacks on the new leadership and its political wing, the Irish Republican Socialist Party. The Weekly Worker spoke to IRSP executive member Paul Carson

Press reports say that Torney’s death marks the end of a “feud” within Inla.

There never was a feud. The former leadership immediately set upon us after being released on bail. This was no ‘internal, internecine war’. It was crystal clear to see that outside agencies were involved. People on arms charges are never normally given bail. But these people declared a ‘ceasefire’, although they spoke for no-one but themselves and had no power to take that decision. So they were released and our movement was attacked and Gino Gallagher assassinated. There will be no more attacks on our movement.

Isn’t there a possibility that associates - or even family or friends - of Torney, Shannon or McCleery will want to continue the attacks?

Absolutely none. The movement is united and anyone remotely connected with Torney and the self-styled ‘GHQ faction’ has gone. Inla will defend its membership and the IRSP, and anyone foolish enough to attack us will suffer the consequences. The Shannons of this world were of a low breed of people - criminals, joy-riders and drug dealers.

But the movement went on the offensive - action speaks louder than words. You’ll hear no more of the ‘GHQ faction’.

What were the political differences within the movement which lay behind these attacks?

They appeared to have none. There was no political direction from Torney and McCleery. They found it fit to run down the IRSP and Inla, but their claim to speak for the IRSP has been proved to be totally false.

What steps can be taken to ensure that such events do not occur again?

They can only be stopped by stability and discipline. We have our internal code of discipline.

What about the other side of the Leninist democratic centralism equation? We have expressed the view that democracy and openness are the key to resolving disputes.

All tiers of discussion were implemented right across the board, in the 26 Counties as well as in the occupied Six.

How far advanced are the plans to relaunch your journal, the Starry Plough?

We will need to give everyone a chance to contribute to the discussion on the paper, including the prisoners. It is essential that we have our own paper. The gutter press has been doing us no favours and they will always give coverage to people claiming to be the ‘GHQ faction of Inla’. We have endured enough over these last years against armed attacks and we have been criticised by all sides, including yourselves.

In the meantime Dublin has plans to issue a bulletin, and Belfast and Derry hope to do the same.

Where now for the IRSP?

We are back in business and will be up and running as soon as possible. We will shortly be convening a meeting to decide what lies ahead.

The criticisms we made that you mentioned were over the lack of information and openness about differences within the movement, which mean that many people find it impossible to take sides. The Weekly Worker remains open to all members and supporters of the IRSP to put forward their views.

Without wanting to dwell on the past, we will be putting across the rights and wrongs. We need to ensure that this type of incident will never happen again. I firmly believe it won’t.