Andersonstown News

In the following viewpoint, the Andersonstown News contends that the August 15, 1998, bombing in Omagh, Northern Ireland, that killed twenty-nine people was not justified. The newspaper asserts that the attack served no political purpose since peace has almost been achieved in Northern Ireland. In addition, the newspaper argues, the group responsible for the bombing—the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA, an organization consisting of former members of the Provisional IRA but unaffiliated with the latter group)—lacks support within Northern Ireland and should end its activities. The Andersonstown News is a weekly newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the Andersonstown News, what motive is behind every action of the dissident republican groups"
2. How did support for the Provisional IRA vary in Belfast, according to the newspaper...