Beliefs
In 1987 O'Hare told a journalist he was only interested in "the bomb and the bullet" and did not believe in politics, and confessed to murdering 26 people. Garda and prison officers describe him as a psychotic killer who can be charming and manipulative, and say he is an exceptional risk.
During his time in Portlaoise Prison, O'Hare became a student of anthropology, psychology, metaphysics, yoga and tai-chi, stating that he had found a "divine force" and gained with "this esoteric knowledge, a newer and better understanding of everything. Some fellow prisoners — and even a few jailers — have remarked that I've changed."
In a 2001 interview, he stated that he had no regrets about his paramilitary career. He said of the John O'Grady Kidnapping; "It was a fundraising operation that failed. I haven't taken it personal what happened to me as a result of it, and I hope that those on the other side haven't taken it personal what happened to them. In fact, John was a totally innocent victim in that operation and I think he understood that too."
"Anyone who questions the legitimacy of a just war obviously isn't a true soldier and has no place in a revolutionary army," he says." He has described himself as a republican socialist and cited influence from Marxism and Christianity, justifying his actions as "War brings circumstances with it that changes our normal concepts of morality. It's a tough, dirty business, caused in the first instance by the filth of corruption." Through imprisonment he says he has developed an identification with the plight of the disabled and participated in fund-raising events for them.
Read more about this topic: Dessie O'Hare
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