Dissidents 'not funded from US'

There has been an upsurge in dissident attacks in the past year

The NI Security Minister, Paul Goggins, has said the United States does not "represent a significant source of funding" for dissident republicans.

He was responding to a House of Commons question from the DUP leader Peter Robinson.

Mr Robinson wanted an estimate of the amount of money dissidents had raised in the US in the past five years.

Mr Goggins added that it was illegal to fundraise for the Real or Continuty IRA in the US.

He said: "Both RIRA and CIRA have been designated 'Foreign Terrorist Organisations' by the US government.

"This makes it unlawful for a person in the US or subject to the jurisdiction of the US to knowingly provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organisation."

Individuals and organisations in the US have traditionally been a key source of funds for republican paramilitaries.