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Unionist Attacks Dossier
Introduction
The following dossier details attacks carried out by unionist
paramilitary gangs in the period since June 2005 (as reported in the
media). Although by no means comprehensive, due to the fact that so
many attacks go unreported it offers a chilling picture of
orchestrated sectarian intimidation, particularly in areas where there
is a vulnerable nationalist minority.
Throughout this period it is very clearly established that unionist
paramilitaries have been engaged in ongoing sectarian attacks on
Catholics, their homes, churches and businesses in addition to the
well publicised feud between the UVF and LVF.
This dossier will be sent to both the British and Irish Governments.
The response from unionist politicians to this ongoing campaign has
been typical. They have continued to hide behind anti-republican
rhetoric even after the historic statement from the IRA committing
that organisation to peaceful and democratic programmes in the future.
They have failed to grasp the reality that the biggest threat to this
process at this time comes from violent unionism.
It must be remembered that at a time when the DUP in particular are
continuing to ignore the democratic mandate of Sinn Fein and are
continuing to stall efforts to put the political process back on
track, both they and the UUP sit on Forums and Commissions with the
leaderships of the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando.
Sinn Fein is demanding that unionist political leaderships tackle the
issue of unionist paramilitary violence. Pretending that it is a
reaction to the IRA or that it is not happening at all is no longer
tenable. Unionist parties need to prove to the broad nationalist
community that they are serious about respecting basic rights and
entitlements. That they are serious about treating people with
equality in the future.
JUNE 2005
2nd June - Blast bombs thrown at two homes in Ahorey, Richill in a
racist attack on Eastern European workers.
3rd June - Loyalist feud erupts in violence inside the Belfast court
complex.
4th June - Two catholic owned cars set on fire and sectarian slogans
daubed in East Belfast
4th June - 7 catholic homes in Coleraine attacked.
5th June - Names of Sinn Fein election workers posted on walls in
Coleraine.
5th June - Pipe Bombs thrown at the homes of migrant workers in racist
attack in Loughgall.
6th June - 27 year old attacked by masked gang wielding baseball bats
in his Ballyclare home.
6th June - Car set on fire in racist attack in Loughgall.
7th June - Catholic homes and a car petrol bombed in Coleraine.
10th June - 56 year old woman attacked in her Ballymoney home and
given 24 hours to leave.
16th June - 28 year old shot in Greenland Park, Lurgan.
16th June - Four masked men attack a man at his home in Ballyree
Drive, Bangor.
17th June - Elderly catholic woman left hospitalised after attack on
her Kerrera Street home in Ardoyne.
19th June - Two nationalists assaulted by loyalist mob in Ballymena
20th June - Three Catholic homes at Old Throne Park, North Belfast
destroyed after sectarian arson attack. Eight children including a
small baby lucky to escape alive.
22nd June - Ballymena man jailed after UVF gun running plot exposed.
23rd June - Arson attack on St. John's Catholic Church in Portadown.
28th June - 20 year old shot in the legs in Bangor.
28th June - Loyalist flags erected outside PSNI barracks in mixed
Dunmurray village.
29th June - Loyalist flags erected in mixed Lisburn Road area.
29th June - Petrol bomb attack the home of a 19 year old woman,
Braeside Grove, Castlereagh.
29th June - 17 year old shot, Carrickmannin Gardens, Bangor.
JULY 2005
1st July - Loyalist mob led by PUP member Billy McCaughey disrupt DPP
meeting in Clough, Co. Antrim. SDLP Councillor forced to be escorted
from the meeting by the PSNI.
1st July - Jameson Lockhart shot dead by UVF, Newtownards Road, East
Belfast.
5th July - Catholic homes on Mountpottinger Road Attacked by loyalist
gang.
6th July - 30 year old shot, Carlingford Street, Creaggh Road.
9th July - Catholic home on the Crumlin Road firebombed.
10th July - Gun attack linked to the LVF on a home in the Silverstream
Road area of North Belfast.
11th July - Craig McCausland shot dead by the UVF, Dhu Varren, North
Belfast.
11th July - Man forced to flee home in Woodvale Pass as masked and
armed gang burst in.
11th July - Man shot and seriously injured on the Crumlin Road in an
attacked linked to the LVF.
11th July - Catholic woman forced to flee her Ahoghill home after 50
years due to attacks.
11th July - Catholic taxi driver and passengers attacked in Blacks
Road area of West Belfast.
11th July - PSNI patrol attacked in East Belfast and weapon stolen.
11th July - Business premises on Creaggh Road burned down in arson
attack.
11th July - UVF firing party appear at Belfast City Council backed
bonfire on the Newtownards Road.
11th July - UDA firing party appear at bonfire in the Westlands area.
11th July - Harryville Church in Ballymena daubed with sectarian
slogans.
11th July - Attempt to abduct nationalist in Portstewart.
12th July - UVF and UDA figures join Orange Parade through Ardoyne,
Mountainview and the Dales in North Belfast.
12th July - Loyalist protest outside St. Matthews Catholic Church,
East Belfast.
12th July - Nationalist residents in Lower Ormeau attacked by
stone-throwing loyalists taking part in 12th parade.
13th July - Catholic homes in Clandeboye Gardens in the Short Strand
area attacked.
15th July - Sinn Fein member in Coleraine told of threat to his life.
15th July - Four nationalists in Coleraine told of unionist
paramilitary threat to their lives
16th July - Petrol Bomb attack on the Diamond Bar, Ahoghill, Co.
Antrim
16th July - Blast bomb explodes inside Catholic woman,s home,
Mountainview Gardens.
16th July - Catholic homes in the Short Strand once again come under
attack.
17th July - Blast bomb thrown into a house at Schomberg Court,
Carrickfergus.
17th July - Three nationalist homes in Coleraine attacked
18th July - UVF carry out gun attack on house at Victoria Road, East
Belfast.
20th July - Shots fired at house in Avonorr Drive, East Belfast.
20th July - Woman in Coleraine has home petrol bombed
21st July - Petrol Bomb attack on Half Way House bar in Broughshane,
Co.Antrim
23rd July - Sectarian slogans daubed on Catholic properties in
Garvagh, Co.Derry.
23rd July - Several nationalists in Dunloy Co. Antrim visited by the
PSNI and warned that they are under threat from unionist
paramilitaries.
23rd July - Holy Cross Church in Ardoyne petrol bombed.
23rd July - Device left on Dublin rail line to disrupt travel to the
GAA Ulster Final in Dublin.
24th July - Man in his 40s shot in the Shankill Road area.
25th July - Hundreds of UVF members invade Garnerville estate in the
East Belfast and force LVF linked families to flee in full view of the
PSNI and British Army.
25th July - Taxi Depot in the Ballysillan area destroyed in arson
attack linked to loyalist feud.
25th July - Leading republican Martin Meehan advised by the PSNI that
his life is under threat from unionist paramilitaries.
25th July - Another paint bomb attack on Harryville Church in
Ballymena.
25th July - Two men shot in Tynedale Grove in North Belfast.
26th July - Two Catholic churches in Ballymena attacked.
26th July - Catholic owned bar in Martinstown, Co. Antrim firebombed.
26th July - Catholic owned bar in Rasharkin, Co. Antrim firebombed.
26th July - 10 shots fired at a house in Station Road, Newtownabby.
26th July - A woman and two children escape after petrol bomb attack
on their home in Silverstream Gardens.
27th July - Nationalist home in Coleraine has windows broken
30th July - Stephen Paul shot dead by the UVF Wheatfield Crescent,
North Belfast.
31st July - UDA linked to the shooting of a 38 year old in the
Westland area.
AUGUST 2005
1st August - PSNI Attacked by loyalist gang Palmer Street in the
Woodvale area.
1st August - Bomb left outside home in Knockeen Crescent, Ballymena.
1st August - Shots fired into a house in Randalstown, Co. Antrim.
1st August - Petrol bomb attack on Catholic home in Laurel Park,
Ahoghill.
2nd August - Petrol Bomb attack on home at Redwood, Dunmurry.
4th August - Loyalist paramilitaries orchestrate riot on the Crumlin
Road in North Belfast.
5th August - Further rioting on the Crumlin Road.
6th August - Catholic man attacked in Coleraine shop
7th August - Man shot seriously injured Glenside Park. Victim believed
to be leading LVF figure.
7th August - Device left at Brookfield Mill, North Belfast
8th August - Three houses in Cloughmills, Co.Antrim attacked with pipe
bombs
9th August - Fire Blankets issues to Catholic families in Ahoghill,
Co. Antrim
9th August - The Banbridge Home of Sinn Fein Councillor Dessie Ward
petrol bombed.
9th August - Harryville Catholic Church in Ballymena paint bombed.
9th August - Catholic home in Ballymena has windows smashed.
9th August - Masked loyalist protesters are joined by DUP politicians
for illegal protest in Ballymena.
10th August - St. Patrick,s Catholic Church in Lisburn daubed with
sectarian slogans
10th August - 15 year old Thomas Devlin murdered in North Belfast
attack, attributed in the media to the UVF.
12th August - Catholic homes in the Waterside area of Derry attacked.
12th August - Leading LVF figure Gordon Hutchinson shot and seriously
injured in Lurgan.
12th August - Two flats in Rathcoole come under pipe bomb attack
12 August - Pipe bomb left outside republican home in Beechmount Ave,
West Belfast
13th August - 30 year old shot in the legs in Newtownabby
14th August - Newsagents shop on the Antrim Road in Belfast set fire
in arson attack.
14th August - 15 year old tied to a lamp post and covered in paint on
the Donegal Road
15th August - Catholic home in Kilrea attacked
15th August - Catholic home in Ahoghill, Co.Antrim paint bombed
15th August - Michael Greene an LVF associate shot dead in the Sandy
Row area of South Belfast
16th August - St. Josephs Catholic Primary School, Ahoghill paint
bombed
16th August - St. Mary's Catholic Church, Ahoghill paint bombed
16th August - Pipe bomb left outside home, Windslow, Carrickfergus
UNIONIST VIEWS ON PARAMILITARY VIOLENCE
"Catholic homes caught fire because they were loaded with petrol
bombs; Catholic churches were attacked and burned because they were
arsenals and priests handed out sub-machine guns to parishioners" Ian
Paisley DUP Leader, 1968
"We should make it clear that force means death and fighting, and
whoever gets in our way, whether Republicans or those sent by the
British government, there would be killings," John Taylor UUP,
Tobermore, October 1972
"There is in particular amongst the Catholic community now, increasing
fear of paramilitary activities. And in a perverse way, this is
something which may be helpful because they are now beginning to
appreciate more clearly the fear that has existed within the
Protestant community for the past 20 years." John Taylor UUP
"My men are ready to be recruited under the crown to destroy the
vermin of the IRA. But if they refuse to recruit them, then we will
have no other decision to make but to destroy the IRA ourselves!...We
will exterminate the IRA!" Ian Paisley DUP leader, Nov. 1981
"If the British government force us down the road to a united Ireland
we will fight to the death...This could come to hand to hand fighting
in every street in Northern Ireland. We are on the verge of civil
war...We are asking people to be ready for the worst and I will lead
them." Ian Paisley 1985 Ulster Clubs Rally Larne
"Taxpayers money would be better spent on an incinerator and burning
the whole lot of them. The priests should be thrown in and burned as
well." DUP Cllr. George Seawright 1984
"Ulster Resistance is not for the faint or half hearted and we will
use all means which are deemed necessary to defeat the Agreement." Ian
Paisley, November 1986 Ulster Resistance Rally, Belfast
"The Orange Order is a very broad church and it's not my
responsibility to say to people they can't be members of various
organisations," Belfast County Grand Master Dawson Bailie, August 2000
when asked about Orange Order members involvement with unionist
paramilitaries
"They are on our side. We might not agree with everything they do but
they have been helpful to brethren in north and west Belfast, and
continued to defend Orange Order refusal to talk to residents." Orange
Order Belfast Deputy Grand Master McMurdie, July 2005, when asked
about Orange Order links to unionist paramilitaries.
Introduction
The following dossier details attacks carried out by unionist
paramilitary gangs in the period since June 2005 (as reported in the
media). Although by no means comprehensive, due to the fact that so
many attacks go unreported it offers a chilling picture of
orchestrated sectarian intimidation, particularly in areas where there
is a vulnerable nationalist minority.
Throughout this period it is very clearly established that unionist
paramilitaries have been engaged in ongoing sectarian attacks on
Catholics, their homes, churches and businesses in addition to the
well publicised feud between the UVF and LVF.
This dossier will be sent to both the British and Irish Governments.
The response from unionist politicians to this ongoing campaign has
been typical. They have continued to hide behind anti-republican
rhetoric even after the historic statement from the IRA committing
that organisation to peaceful and democratic programmes in the future.
They have failed to grasp the reality that the biggest threat to this
process at this time comes from violent unionism.
It must be remembered that at a time when the DUP in particular are
continuing to ignore the democratic mandate of Sinn Fein and are
continuing to stall efforts to put the political process back on
track, both they and the UUP sit on Forums and Commissions with the
leaderships of the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando.
Sinn Fein is demanding that unionist political leaderships tackle the
issue of unionist paramilitary violence. Pretending that it is a
reaction to the IRA or that it is not happening at all is no longer
tenable. Unionist parties need to prove to the broad nationalist
community that they are serious about respecting basic rights and
entitlements. That they are serious about treating people with
equality in the future.
JUNE 2005
2nd June - Blast bombs thrown at two homes in Ahorey, Richill in a
racist attack on Eastern European workers.
3rd June - Loyalist feud erupts in violence inside the Belfast court
complex.
4th June - Two catholic owned cars set on fire and sectarian slogans
daubed in East Belfast
4th June - 7 catholic homes in Coleraine attacked.
5th June - Names of Sinn Fein election workers posted on walls in
Coleraine.
5th June - Pipe Bombs thrown at the homes of migrant workers in racist
attack in Loughgall.
6th June - 27 year old attacked by masked gang wielding baseball bats
in his Ballyclare home.
6th June - Car set on fire in racist attack in Loughgall.
7th June - Catholic homes and a car petrol bombed in Coleraine.
10th June - 56 year old woman attacked in her Ballymoney home and
given 24 hours to leave.
16th June - 28 year old shot in Greenland Park, Lurgan.
16th June - Four masked men attack a man at his home in Ballyree
Drive, Bangor.
17th June - Elderly catholic woman left hospitalised after attack on
her Kerrera Street home in Ardoyne.
19th June - Two nationalists assaulted by loyalist mob in Ballymena
20th June - Three Catholic homes at Old Throne Park, North Belfast
destroyed after sectarian arson attack. Eight children including a
small baby lucky to escape alive.
22nd June - Ballymena man jailed after UVF gun running plot exposed.
23rd June - Arson attack on St. John's Catholic Church in Portadown.
28th June - 20 year old shot in the legs in Bangor.
28th June - Loyalist flags erected outside PSNI barracks in mixed
Dunmurray village.
29th June - Loyalist flags erected in mixed Lisburn Road area.
29th June - Petrol bomb attack the home of a 19 year old woman,
Braeside Grove, Castlereagh.
29th June - 17 year old shot, Carrickmannin Gardens, Bangor.
JULY 2005
1st July - Loyalist mob led by PUP member Billy McCaughey disrupt DPP
meeting in Clough, Co. Antrim. SDLP Councillor forced to be escorted
from the meeting by the PSNI.
1st July - Jameson Lockhart shot dead by UVF, Newtownards Road, East
Belfast.
5th July - Catholic homes on Mountpottinger Road Attacked by loyalist
gang.
6th July - 30 year old shot, Carlingford Street, Creaggh Road.
9th July - Catholic home on the Crumlin Road firebombed.
10th July - Gun attack linked to the LVF on a home in the Silverstream
Road area of North Belfast.
11th July - Craig McCausland shot dead by the UVF, Dhu Varren, North
Belfast.
11th July - Man forced to flee home in Woodvale Pass as masked and
armed gang burst in.
11th July - Man shot and seriously injured on the Crumlin Road in an
attacked linked to the LVF.
11th July - Catholic woman forced to flee her Ahoghill home after 50
years due to attacks.
11th July - Catholic taxi driver and passengers attacked in Blacks
Road area of West Belfast.
11th July - PSNI patrol attacked in East Belfast and weapon stolen.
11th July - Business premises on Creaggh Road burned down in arson
attack.
11th July - UVF firing party appear at Belfast City Council backed
bonfire on the Newtownards Road.
11th July - UDA firing party appear at bonfire in the Westlands area.
11th July - Harryville Church in Ballymena daubed with sectarian
slogans.
11th July - Attempt to abduct nationalist in Portstewart.
12th July - UVF and UDA figures join Orange Parade through Ardoyne,
Mountainview and the Dales in North Belfast.
12th July - Loyalist protest outside St. Matthews Catholic Church,
East Belfast.
12th July - Nationalist residents in Lower Ormeau attacked by
stone-throwing loyalists taking part in 12th parade.
13th July - Catholic homes in Clandeboye Gardens in the Short Strand
area attacked.
15th July - Sinn Fein member in Coleraine told of threat to his life.
15th July - Four nationalists in Coleraine told of unionist
paramilitary threat to their lives
16th July - Petrol Bomb attack on the Diamond Bar, Ahoghill, Co.
Antrim
16th July - Blast bomb explodes inside Catholic woman,s home,
Mountainview Gardens.
16th July - Catholic homes in the Short Strand once again come under
attack.
17th July - Blast bomb thrown into a house at Schomberg Court,
Carrickfergus.
17th July - Three nationalist homes in Coleraine attacked
18th July - UVF carry out gun attack on house at Victoria Road, East
Belfast.
20th July - Shots fired at house in Avonorr Drive, East Belfast.
20th July - Woman in Coleraine has home petrol bombed
21st July - Petrol Bomb attack on Half Way House bar in Broughshane,
Co.Antrim
23rd July - Sectarian slogans daubed on Catholic properties in
Garvagh, Co.Derry.
23rd July - Several nationalists in Dunloy Co. Antrim visited by the
PSNI and warned that they are under threat from unionist
paramilitaries.
23rd July - Holy Cross Church in Ardoyne petrol bombed.
23rd July - Device left on Dublin rail line to disrupt travel to the
GAA Ulster Final in Dublin.
24th July - Man in his 40s shot in the Shankill Road area.
25th July - Hundreds of UVF members invade Garnerville estate in the
East Belfast and force LVF linked families to flee in full view of the
PSNI and British Army.
25th July - Taxi Depot in the Ballysillan area destroyed in arson
attack linked to loyalist feud.
25th July - Leading republican Martin Meehan advised by the PSNI that
his life is under threat from unionist paramilitaries.
25th July - Another paint bomb attack on Harryville Church in
Ballymena.
25th July - Two men shot in Tynedale Grove in North Belfast.
26th July - Two Catholic churches in Ballymena attacked.
26th July - Catholic owned bar in Martinstown, Co. Antrim firebombed.
26th July - Catholic owned bar in Rasharkin, Co. Antrim firebombed.
26th July - 10 shots fired at a house in Station Road, Newtownabby.
26th July - A woman and two children escape after petrol bomb attack
on their home in Silverstream Gardens.
27th July - Nationalist home in Coleraine has windows broken
30th July - Stephen Paul shot dead by the UVF Wheatfield Crescent,
North Belfast.
31st July - UDA linked to the shooting of a 38 year old in the
Westland area.
AUGUST 2005
1st August - PSNI Attacked by loyalist gang Palmer Street in the
Woodvale area.
1st August - Bomb left outside home in Knockeen Crescent, Ballymena.
1st August - Shots fired into a house in Randalstown, Co. Antrim.
1st August - Petrol bomb attack on Catholic home in Laurel Park,
Ahoghill.
2nd August - Petrol Bomb attack on home at Redwood, Dunmurry.
4th August - Loyalist paramilitaries orchestrate riot on the Crumlin
Road in North Belfast.
5th August - Further rioting on the Crumlin Road.
6th August - Catholic man attacked in Coleraine shop
7th August - Man shot seriously injured Glenside Park. Victim believed
to be leading LVF figure.
7th August - Device left at Brookfield Mill, North Belfast
8th August - Three houses in Cloughmills, Co.Antrim attacked with pipe
bombs
9th August - Fire Blankets issues to Catholic families in Ahoghill,
Co. Antrim
9th August - The Banbridge Home of Sinn Fein Councillor Dessie Ward
petrol bombed.
9th August - Harryville Catholic Church in Ballymena paint bombed.
9th August - Catholic home in Ballymena has windows smashed.
9th August - Masked loyalist protesters are joined by DUP politicians
for illegal protest in Ballymena.
10th August - St. Patrick,s Catholic Church in Lisburn daubed with
sectarian slogans
10th August - 15 year old Thomas Devlin murdered in North Belfast
attack, attributed in the media to the UVF.
12th August - Catholic homes in the Waterside area of Derry attacked.
12th August - Leading LVF figure Gordon Hutchinson shot and seriously
injured in Lurgan.
12th August - Two flats in Rathcoole come under pipe bomb attack
12 August - Pipe bomb left outside republican home in Beechmount Ave,
West Belfast
13th August - 30 year old shot in the legs in Newtownabby
14th August - Newsagents shop on the Antrim Road in Belfast set fire
in arson attack.
14th August - 15 year old tied to a lamp post and covered in paint on
the Donegal Road
15th August - Catholic home in Kilrea attacked
15th August - Catholic home in Ahoghill, Co.Antrim paint bombed
15th August - Michael Greene an LVF associate shot dead in the Sandy
Row area of South Belfast
16th August - St. Josephs Catholic Primary School, Ahoghill paint
bombed
16th August - St. Mary's Catholic Church, Ahoghill paint bombed
16th August - Pipe bomb left outside home, Windslow, Carrickfergus
UNIONIST VIEWS ON PARAMILITARY VIOLENCE
"Catholic homes caught fire because they were loaded with petrol
bombs; Catholic churches were attacked and burned because they were
arsenals and priests handed out sub-machine guns to parishioners" Ian
Paisley DUP Leader, 1968
"We should make it clear that force means death and fighting, and
whoever gets in our way, whether Republicans or those sent by the
British government, there would be killings," John Taylor UUP,
Tobermore, October 1972
"There is in particular amongst the Catholic community now, increasing
fear of paramilitary activities. And in a perverse way, this is
something which may be helpful because they are now beginning to
appreciate more clearly the fear that has existed within the
Protestant community for the past 20 years." John Taylor UUP
"My men are ready to be recruited under the crown to destroy the
vermin of the IRA. But if they refuse to recruit them, then we will
have no other decision to make but to destroy the IRA ourselves!...We
will exterminate the IRA!" Ian Paisley DUP leader, Nov. 1981
"If the British government force us down the road to a united Ireland
we will fight to the death...This could come to hand to hand fighting
in every street in Northern Ireland. We are on the verge of civil
war...We are asking people to be ready for the worst and I will lead
them." Ian Paisley 1985 Ulster Clubs Rally Larne
"Taxpayers money would be better spent on an incinerator and burning
the whole lot of them. The priests should be thrown in and burned as
well." DUP Cllr. George Seawright 1984
"Ulster Resistance is not for the faint or half hearted and we will
use all means which are deemed necessary to defeat the Agreement." Ian
Paisley, November 1986 Ulster Resistance Rally, Belfast
"The Orange Order is a very broad church and it's not my
responsibility to say to people they can't be members of various
organisations," Belfast County Grand Master Dawson Bailie, August 2000
when asked about Orange Order members involvement with unionist
paramilitaries
"They are on our side. We might not agree with everything they do but
they have been helpful to brethren in north and west Belfast, and
continued to defend Orange Order refusal to talk to residents." Orange
Order Belfast Deputy Grand Master McMurdie, July 2005, when asked
about Orange Order links to unionist paramilitaries.
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Re: >Unionist Actions<
Thu, August 18, 2005 - 5:05 PMJust astonishing. I don't even know what to say. What can be done?
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Unsu...
Re: >Unionist Actions<
Fri, August 19, 2005 - 10:51 AM
It is precisely because of events like these that I must state again my very firm conviction that there will always be need of an Irish Republican Army (place any letter you care to in front of the "I", be it "O", "P", "C", or "R", it matters not) as long as Catholic/Nationalist/Republican communities are threatened and attacked by Loyalist/Unionist thugs.
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Re: >Unionist Actions<
Fri, August 19, 2005 - 6:04 PMLove the picture Charles...and the opinion!!
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Unsu...
Re: >Unionist Actions<
Sat, August 20, 2005 - 6:13 PMUVF MURDER BID
A Belfast man who has waged an eight-year campaign to
bring his son's unionist killers to justice was the subject of
an attempted murder bid on Thursday.
The Ulster Volunteer Force, whose members beat Raymond McCord
Jnr to death in 1997, planned to kill his father, Raymond McCord
Snr, in north Belfast.
Mr McCord, an outspoken critic of the UVF, was on his way to
visit a relative in the staunchly loyalist district of Tiger's
Bay.
However, he received a phone call warning him that two UVF men
were cruising the area on a motorcycle.
One of those on the motorcycle was the paramilitary boss he
believes murdered his son.
Mr McCord says that he has been targeted four times by the UVF
in the last two weeks. He has also been told by the PSNI that he
is on a UVF death list.
* A pipe bomb was left outside a home in Ballymena and a bar and
house were attacked in Rasharkin this week as the unionist
sectarian campaign continued in north Antrim.
* A taxi driver has been seriously injured in a gun attack in
County Down in an attack blamed on the ongoing feud among
unionist paramilitaries. The man was in his vehicle in
Newtownards, when he was shot several times in the early hours
of Saturday morning. He is recovering in hospital.
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Unsu...
Re: >Unionist Actions<
Fri, August 26, 2005 - 1:14 PMSECTARIAN NIGHTMARE
It is feared that several nights of orchestrated rioting in
north and east Belfast could be the precursor of weeks of
sectarian interface violence.
Youths clashed for four nights this week in the Ardoyne area of
north Belfast. The area has also endured another spate of
distressing sectarian attacks on family homes, while a marathon
rioting session also flared at an east Belfast interface.
Petrol and paint bombs and other missiles were thrown by more
than 100 people in Ardoyne on Sunday and Monday night. A
crossbow bolt was also fired at nationalists from the Glenbryn
estate, a stronghold of the unionist paramilitary UDA.
Sinn Fein accused the UDA of involvement in the violence and
warned their members were "flexing their muscles". Local
councillor Margaret McClenaghan said PSNI police watched from
their Land Rovers as community workers "were getting stoned from
behind police lines".
The rioting was followed by spate of sectarian attacks. Paint
bombs were thrown by youths at several nationalist homes in the
Alliance Avenue and Ardoyne Road area at 11am on Wednesday
morning. This followed a series of at least six attacks in north
Belfast on Tuesday night, including some retaliatory attacks on
the homes of unionists.
A three-month-old baby was showered with glass and paint and two
other young children were also hurt during one attack on
Catholic homes in the Cliftondene area.
The children's mother pleaded in vain with a group of four
loyalist youths before her home came under fire from paint and
petrol bombs. Windows were broken in the incident and paint and
glass rained down on the children and their mother. A petrol
bomb failed to ignite.
The gang escaped on foot leaving behind a crate of bottles
filled with paint which had been meant to target more Catholic
homes.
Last night, further clashes broke out in north Belfast, with
petrol bombs and other missiles hurled by dozens of youths in
the Brompton and Cranbrook areas. Sinn Fein has urged young
nationalists not to get involved in the ongoing violence.
Meanwhile, nationalist residents of the Short Strand came under
fire from missiles emanating from the unionist Cluan Place area
on Monday. Some 400 nationalists and unionists were involved in
eight hours of rioting at the Clandeboye Gardens/Cluan Place
interface.
Residents of the nationalist enclave say they now fear a
repetition of the summer of 2002, which saw the same interface
endure months of violent sectarian clashes.
Up to five rounds were fired from the unionist Cluan Place
during the violence, which erupted at around 6pm on Saturday and
lasted until 2.30am on Sunday.
Strike marks were visible on the gable wall of a house in the
nationalist Clandeboye Gardens. Broken bottles, bricks and a
pipe bomb were also hurled over the peace wall.
Residents and politicians said simmering tensions between rival
groups appeared to have reached boiling point on Saturday
following a soccer game between Glasgow Celtic and Rangers.
Sinn Fein representative Deborah Devenney said the community had
been under attack from loyalists since Wednesday.
"These people cannot live like this. They don't deserve to live
like this. It's totally disgraceful. I am willing to talk to any
unionist politician to try and resolve this," she said.
CEASEFIRE?
Meanwhile, the British government has come under pressure to
declare obsolete the professed ceasefires of the unionist
paramilitary UVF and UDA.
SDLP leader Mark Durkan expressed astonishment that British
Direct Ruler Peter Hain has yet to give the assessment on the
Ulster Volunteer Force - an organisation which has recently
killed four men as part of its vicious feud with the splinter
Loyalist Volunteer Force.
Mr Durkan pointed to recent death threats received by Raymond
McCord, whose son was killed by the UVF in 1997 and who has been
a vehement critic of the group, and the ongoing vendetta of the
UDA against the Sunday World newspaper.
"It is demoralising for decent people that the secretary of
state has remained speechless.
"He still will not say what everybody knows: that loyalist
paramilitaries have broken their ceasefires.
"Just what is it that needs to happen before the Northern
Ireland Office think that the UVF has broken its ceasefire. How
many more killings does it take?"
* A major ferry line has banned Glasgow Rangers supporters from
travelling as foot passengers to football games because of the
sectarian behaviour of a number of fans returning from Glasgow
to Belfast last Saturday.
According to Stena lines, passengers complained when some of the
500 Rangers fans returning from Saturday's soccer game against
Celtic began to sing threatening songs.
One passenger later told BBC radio: "The supporters, they
weren't even singing football songs, it was about killing
Catholics, and named Catholics that have been shot dead."
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