International links between right-wing extremist groups are a matter of increasing concern to the authorities here, a new risk assessment conducted by the Department of Justice has found.
While the report on the risk of terrorism and terrorism financing concludes that the terrorism risk for Ireland remains modest, it does highlight a number of concerns.
One of these concerns relates to the emergence of extreme right-wing groups.
“Increasingly there are other actors that resist easy categorisation, including growing levels of concern about right-wing extremism. The key trend in this area is growing evidence of transnational links between hyper-nationalist movements, facilitated by a toxic online environment on non-mainstream social media platforms. International links between right-wing extremist groups is a matter of increasing concern,” it states.
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The report was compiled for the Financial Action Task Force, the global money-laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. Each State is required to conduct a review every two years of the terrorist financing risks it faces.
There are four means of transferring money to and from Ireland that are considered to carry a “very significant” risk, the report s found. They are cash couriers; payments in cash; retail banking (and the use of ATMs); as well as transfer via e-money.
While the domestic terrorist risk, particularly from dissident paramilitary groups, is not ranked as very significant in the Republic, the report says the level of domestic terrorism in Northern Ireland is considered to be substantial.
“[That] means that an attack is likely with members of the security forces being the most likely targets,” the report says.
It says republican groups use various levels of threat and points to “potential linkages” between republican paramilitaries and organised criminal groups in the State.
“A relationship of friction and facilitation exists between organised criminal groups and some domestic terrorist groupings. Distinguishing the activities of such groupings from organised crime gangs can also be complex, with domestic terrorist groups often acting in an identical manner to organised crime gangs.
“This can be seen through the means by which such groups may at times finance their activities – smuggling, extortion, drugs – and the means by which such funds are concealed. Involvement in criminal activity is often for the personal enrichment of the members of domestic terrorist groups rather than for the financing of terrorist aims and activities.”
Activities include smuggling, extortion, robberies and the “taxing” of criminals involved in activities such as organised prostitution and the drug trade.
Counterfeiting has also been used by some groups more recently. These funds may then be laundered through cash enterprises such as licensed premises and security companies or in the form of ‘loans’ to businesses fronted by people with no obvious affiliations to these groups.
“The continuing success of An Garda Síochána over the years has significantly degraded the capacity of these republican paramilitary groups to finance their operations and it is considered that such groups do not have significant reserves.”
The assessment of international terrorism as it relates to Ireland identifies as the security concern the radicalising influences that travellers to conflict zones are exposed to, the security risks some individuals may pose on returning to their home countries, and the potential for attacks by people who have not travelled to conflict zones but are inspired by groups such as Islamic State.
However, it assesses the threat as moderate. “The threat to Ireland is not assessed to be comparable to that which exists in other European jurisdictions. In this respect, Ireland enjoys a relatively benign security environment, with no specific intelligence of a particular threat, but recognition that a potential threat may exist.
The threat of Ireland being used as a base to plan a terrorism attack remains low, according to the report.
“There is the possibility, albeit currently assessed to be low, that Ireland could be used as a base from which attacks could be planned. Such incidents would be likely to cause extreme disruption in the short term and possibly longer-term reputational damage to Ireland both as a safe and secure destination and as an international partner in the fight against terrorism.
“Accordingly, the threat is kept under constant review, and the current assessment of low risk reflects careful assessment of the risk factors within Ireland for support to activities outside Ireland.
“The numbers of supporters of international terrorism in the State is small when compared with other European jurisdictions, with little evidence to show any co-ordinated approach to fundraising in support of international terrorism.”
