Who Armed the IRA? US Mobsters & Colonel Gaddafi's Weapons Smuggling Operations

During the period of The Troubles in Northern Ireland between 1969 and 1997, the IRA became progressively better armed with modern assault rifles, RPGs and even surface-to-air missiles. Where did they obtain these weapons from and how did they pay for them. This is the story of how American mobsters and Libyan dictator Colonel Gaddafi smuggled million of dollars worth of weapons to the IRA, as part of a sophisticated gun running operation over nearly three decades.

Many thanks to the RAF Regiment Heritage Centre, RAF Honington, Suffolk please visit

Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA, is a wellknown British historian, the author of 22 nonfiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at

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Credits: The National Archives; Library of Congress; Rokker; Rhododendrites; Michael Manas; Kerim44; MathKnight