the formation of terrorist organizations within a given country. "Ulster terrorism has its roots in the nationalist mystique of the anti-British struggle on the one hand,and in religious fears on the other. Furthermore, free-floating aggression has been a frequent phenomenon in Irish history" (Lacquer, 1987, p. 214).
The IRA as we know it today is actually the Provisional IRA (the PIRA or Provos) and not the official IRA from the 1920s. The current wave of terrorism developed gradually out of a Catholic civil rights campaign in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s. Largely peaceful Catholic demonstrations for fair housing, employment, and political representation became violent as a result of Protestant counter-demonstrations and attacks. Riots began in Belfast and Londonderry, and, ironically, British troops were originally called in, in August of 1969, to protect the Catholics, who welcomed them at the time (Lacquer, 1987, p. 208).
The official IRA was opposed to violence, believing that it would make eventual peace between Irish Catholics and Pr
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