Dissident chief Thomas Ashe Mellon set to walk away from alleged senior New IRA role

The suspected Derry crime boss has been pondering his future within the terror group for a number of weeks after becoming disheartened by infiltration of the group by informers.

He also remains paranoid that MI5 and the PSNI are close to nailing him for crimes he could serve years behind bars for.

Sources say Mellon is considering what he has already sacrificed and what his family has endured.

His potential decision to turn his back on criminal activity and move into a more political role has raised a few eyebrows as diehard Mellon has spoken in the past of never giving up his fight against the British security forces or the PSNI.

“There are rumours circulating amongst a few of the top boys that he is set to go political,” a source told us.

“He hasn’t made his mind up completely but he is thinking about it, which would be a massive blow to us.

“Tommy has clout. He is respected and he has been the brains behind quite a lot of things that the New IRA claimed responsibility for.

“He has come under pressure a few times in the past because of decisions he made, like that disaster involving Lyra McKee.

“But down here he will be missed – it will be a blow to the operational side and to recruitment. Tommy is very good at recruiting the young ones.”

Should he make the move into politics, Mellon would follow in the footsteps of independent councillor Gary Donnelly, who made a similar move and was elected to Derry and Strabane District Council in 2014.

Another source said: “Nobody knows what his final decision will be, but I have been told he thinks he has been sailing too close to the wind for quite a while with the police, and it’s time for someone else to take over – to take the heat.

“The New IRA are still active, they are just in sleep mode at the minute as they regroup and make plans for the future.

“If Mellon is going to be part of that, no one knows. Some will understand because he’s not the only one thinking ‘what the f*** is this all for?’. With increased intelligence gathering, being a member is much more dangerous.”

The Sunday World understands that dissidents are anticipating more raids and arrests in the new year.

There are fears over the actions of another informer who may be buried in the ranks waiting to spill all for MI5, just like Dennis McFadden.

McFadden was a family man posing as an NHS worker and hotel inspector who infiltrated the New IRA and spilled its secrets to MI5 for more than a decade before vanishing into thin air.

McFadden bugged meetings and gleaned information from suspected terrorists by treating them to Spanish holidays and Celtic tickets, according to court hearings.

In an effort to loosen the tongues of suspected New IRA members, the Glaswegian plied them with Guinness and gin. He did this in a Covid lockdown bar in the back garden of the bungalow where he lived with his wife and young son.

When they left, he collected the glasses and cigarette ashtrays used by the 10 people arrested for alleged IRA membership and directing terrorism.

Last week, four people, including Mellon, were handed fines totalling £3,200 after they were convicted of taking part in an illegal protest outside HMP Maghaberry.

The four included Derry men Fergal Melaugh (64), from Magowan Park, and Mellon (47), from Rathmore Road, both of whom were named in BBC’s Spotlight programme as the alleged leaders of the New IRA.

Also fined was Cliodhna McCool (30), from Ballymagowan Gardens in Derry, whose partner is the high-profile dissident republican and national chairman of Saoradh, Stephen Murney. The fourth was Eamon Barry Millar (39), from Raftery Close in Derry.

Courts have previously heard the charges arose following an overnight protest involving “over 100 people” at the prison visitors’ centre.

The protest, outside Maghaberry jail on September 26, 2020, revolved around the treatment being received by Dr Issam Bassalat, who at the time was being held in a Covid-19 isolation area after he returned to prison from hospital.

Dr Bassalat is one of the 10 defendants – eight men and two women – facing terror charges relating to the McFadden sting.

Millar and and McCool were fined a total of £850 each, while Mellon and Melaugh were fined £750 each.

It is understood that each of the defendants is set to appeal the convictions and sentences.