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The New IRA are capitalising on Brexit to recruit, senior members have admitted.

The Paramilitary group, who last week accepted responsibility for the killing of journalist Lyra McKee, said it would be "remiss" of them not to take advantage of the row over the Northern Irish border.

But in an interview with the Sunday Times, representatives admitted their campaign of violence had no chance of achieving their goal of a united Ireland.

They said: "The attacks are symbolic. They are propaganda. As long as you have the British in Ireland and the country remains partitioned, there will be an IRA."

One dissident told the Times: " Brexit has forced the IRA to refocus and has underlined how Ireland remains partitioned. It would be remiss of us not to capitalise on the opportunity"

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

And while they accepted Lyra McKee's death was from shots fired by one of their members, they insisted the shooting was "unintentional."

They added: "There is nothing we can say that will not sound like a hollow apology."

Ever since the referendum, Brexiteers have been warned a cavalier approach to the Irish Border problem would risk an increase in violence in the region.

A study compiled by the chairs of two Unesco committees in February, warned a return to violence would be inevitable if there was a hard border in Ireland.

The report added that nationalist young people, who are marginalised, would be vulnerable "to being groomed into violent activity by dissident republicans including the 'New IRA'"