Ordinary Decent Criminal is a term used by An Garda Siochana, the police force of the Republic of Ireland, to distinguish criminals engaging in illegal practices for financial or personal ends from those who have terrorist goals.

The term was originally used to distinguish "regular" criminals from the IRA

Provisional Irish Republican Army

The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...

 and other paramilitary

Paramilitary

A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....

 groups in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

.

In Ireland the term is sometimes used to refer to criminals who refuse to deal with the drugs trade.

See also

• Ordinary Decent Criminal
  Ordinary Decent Criminal
  Ordinary Decent Criminal is a 2000 crime/comedy film, directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan, written by Gerard Stembridge. The film is loosely based on the story of Martin Cahill, a famous Irish crime boss.- Plot :...
  
  (crime/comedy movie, 2000)