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Fri 01 Jan 2009Provos had 250 hardcore activists in counties near Border region
ARMY INTELLIGENCE:THE PROVISIONAL IRA had approximately 250 "hardcore activists" in counties adjacent to the Border in early 1977, according to a secret intelligence assessment supplied to the Irish government by the Defence Forces for that period.
The document, dated February 15th, 1977, which emerged in the latest State Papers released through the National Archives for public viewing, states that "about 100" were operating from the Republic. The group of southern-based activists consisted of, "about 40 locals with 20 from other parts of the Republic and the remainder fugitives from Northern Ireland", according to the Army assessment provided to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
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