A leaked government document has ‘unmasked’ alleged members of the Real IRA terror group which is trying to turn Northern Ireland into a war-zone.

The sensitive report, contained in a Northern Ireland Office Ministerial document, was obtained by Sunday Life just hours after dissident republicans tried to murder a Catholic PSNI officer in Fermanagh and blow up the Policing Board's Belfast HQ last weekend.

It names six men who the security services believe are now key figures in the Real IRA following the jailing of former leader Liam Campbell.

They include Don Mullan, 38, Brendan O'Connor, 31, John Connolly, 33, and Kevin Barry Murphy, 38.

Republican sources say they all deny being members of the terror group.

Two others are named in the official report but their identities cannot be made public because they are charged with serious crimes that are to go to trial.

One is a Belfast man, the other from the north-west area.

The document reveals: “Don Mullan had previously been an active member of PIRA in the Dungannon area from the mid-1980s.

“Following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Mullan became a member of RIRA.

“Brendan O'Connor is a member of RIRA.

“John Connolly is a member of RIRA based in Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh.

“Connolly was arrested in November 2000 in possession of a mortar and was sentenced to 14-years imprisonment. He was released from prison in late 2007.

“Kevin Barry Murphy has a long history of active involvement in republican terrorism having previously been a key member within the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional IRA.

“Murphy switched his allegiance to RIRA following PIRA's ceasefire and it is assessed that he continues to have a leading role in East Tyrone RIRA.”

Last year Fermanagh republican John Connolly denied claims that he is a Real IRA leader. He is the former OC of Real IRA prisoners in Maghaberry Prison.

He said: “I am not the Real IRA leader in the six counties. I am not going around in hedges planting bombs.

“I am not directing anything. I just want to get on with my life.”

In 2004 the other men named in the leaked report, Don Mullan, Brendan O'Connor and Kevin Barry Murphy, were all acquitted of Real IRA membership.

The three had been accused of taking part in a plot to murder police.

In February 2002 Dungannon republican Mullan and Murphy, from Coalisland, were said to have been caught “red-handed” with an RPG rocket launcher by soldiers in a field at Coalisland, Co Tyrone.

O'Connor was arrested in a car-park a short distance away.

However the case against the men collapsed after claims they were set-up by alleged Real IRA informer Gareth O'Connor whose body was dredged from a Newry river in June 2005. It is believed he was killed by republicans.

Mullan, O'Connor and Murphy were earlier acquitted of membership of the Real IRA after Mr Justice Girvan ruled it was not an illegal organisation under the then legislation.

However, this ruling was overturned the next year by the Court of Appeal.

The reversal did not affect the men’s acquittal as the appeal was taken on a point of law.

Announcing the verdict he said that while many aspects of the men’s claims remained “unconvincing and strained, reasonable doubt over their guilt remained”.

O’Connor, from Pomeroy, was also acquitted in December 2004 of plotting to bomb Stewartstown police station in July 2000. His DNA was found on gloves recovered close to the scene of where the bombers had set their getaway car alight but the judge at his trial said he was not satisfied the gloves could be linked to the bombing.

Sunday Life asked the the Real IRA's political wing, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement to comment on the leaked report, but it refused.

It is understood all of those named are members or supporters of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement.