The IRA has appointed a hardline enforcer to clamp down on growing
dissident activity.
The iron-fisted Provo boss - who's linked to one of the most notorious
Provo families in south Armagh - was brought in last month.
The move, to the Kilcoo and Castlewellan area, comes after a local
commander was stood down.
One of his first tasks will be to crush a simmering dispute over funding by
dissidents in the name of the Provisional wing of the republican
organisation.
Fears have been growing in recent months of the growing threat from
dissident Real IRA and Continuity factions in the republican stronghold.
The IRA and other dissident republican organisations have been blamed for
attacks in the area within the last two years with both sides struggling
for a grip on grassroots support.
But an internal IRA dispute about the whereabouts of local funds is
expected to be the first task under scrutiny.
Both the Castlewellan and Kilcoo areas have seen rising tensions between
mainstream republicans and dissident sympathisers in recent months.
The row flared early last year between mainstream and dissidents over money
raised for Real IRA prisoners.
Party leader Gerry Adams was said to be furious after Sinn Féin activists
in the Co Down town were caught raising cash for two Real IRA suspects in
Maghaberry prison. The duo claimed they were raising money for friends in
jail regardless of their political orientation but Provos were furious that
mainstream sympathisers were duped into donating.
That row came to a head in a pub between the Provo chief who has been
stood down and a senior Real IRA man.
From south Armagh, the new
commander is said to have familiarised himself with his area during the
November assembly elections when he helped with Sinn Féin's election
campaign.
But his appointment has caused more tensions in the area among grassroots
supporters angered that control is being exerted by someone from outside
the area.
One republican source said: "He is a very tough guy and is also very
clever. He's from sound republican stock and is committed to the
organisation.
"He'll not do anything rash and will consider his options before taking
decisive action.
"He knows there are rumblings within the mainstream IRA but he'll pull out
the stops to keep them all on board - it wasn't a rash move on the part of
the Provos. They knew they had to move now before this dispute gets out of
hand."
