NEWS FROM SAOIRSE (freedom). The Voice of the Irish Republican Movement. Republican Sinn Féin http://rsf.ie 223 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 229 Falls Road, Belfast

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2002: Two shots were fired at William Taggart (24) in his living-room at Milltown View in the Tullyvalley area of the loyalist Waterside in Derry.

In another incident in the Waterside a 20-year-old nationalist and his 16-year-old Protestant girlfriend had a gun pointed at them when their car was surrounded by eight masked men. The men tried to pull the man and woman out of the car but they were able to drive away with minor injuries.
 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2002: Father-of-one Harry McCartan (23) from Poleglass in west Belfast was found crucified to a fence with nails bent so that he couldn't break free in the loyalist Seymour Hill estate in south Belfast. The attack was believed to be a punishment attack carried out by a loyalist death squad.

The home of a senior loyalist Sammy Duddy, a member of the Ulster Political Research Group, at Carmeen Drive in the Rathcoole estate was targeted by other loyalists in a gun attack. No one was injured although his dog was killed by a gunshot wound.
 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2002: A joint statement from loyalist death squads the LVF and the UDA/UFF said that the ongoing feud which had claimed three lives was over.

Loyalists carried out attacks on the homes of two RUC/PSNI members in Larne, Co Antrim.

In Belfast the British police put an array of weapons found in loyalists areas of Belfast, including baseball bats, hammers, knives, a replica gun, a crossbow and a UFF flag, which are believed to have been used for punishment beatings.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2002: It has come to light that the RUC are using young people as informers. In one case a 13-year-old special needs child was recruited by the RUC; it has also become clear that recruitment of young people has been going on in north and west Belfast. The children with the offer of money were told by the RUC to watch people in their area.

Fr. Troy of Holy Cross chapel in Ardoyne said he was concerned that children were being used in this way and called for it to end.

Also on Wednesday screws at Maghaberry prison staged a walk out, they also staged a picket at the gates of the prison in a protest action they claim was because of their names being in the hands of Republicans.

Because of this action prisoners were locked up and there was no visits allowed; Republican POW's claim that since the RUC raid on the Provisionals office in the unionist seat of power at Stormont, after which the RUC alleged that files were in the hands of 'Republicans' many belonging to screws, that they have been made even more targets for harassment and sectarian threats from screws who don't hide their loyalism. The danger here to Republican POW's is all to clear.
 

A review "into the handling and sharing of information between Special Branch and other branches of the police service carried out by Dan Crompton of the British Inspectorate of Constabulary, made 11 recommendations including the renaming of the Special Branch as ‘Intelligence Branch’ with the establishment of a “Service Intelligence Branch” to oversee it.

Some visits to Maghaberry and Magilligan prisons were cancelled because of a protest by prison officers at what they called “inadequate security measures”.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2002: Thursday just into the early hours of the morning was yet witness to more trouble within loyalism, when two houses in the loyalist Manor Street in the Old Park area of North Belfast were attacked and a car parked outside of the houses was burned.

The UDA later claimed that the attack was carried out by loyalists from the Lower Shankill (this being the area ruled by Johnny Adair and his notorious C. Coy). The UDA called on loyalists to stay well away from Adair, and stated that unless Adair and those who follow him end their actions, there would without a doubt be another loyalist feud.

It's very easy for nationalists to cheer on a loyalist feud, but, nationalists are always mindful of the greater danger to them and their community when loyalism goes head to head because sooner or later into such a situation the nationalist community becomes victims of feuding loyalism as loyalists seek a way out, and common ground within loyalism has always been the murder of innocent Catholics.

Thursday morning saw a number of bomb scares around Belfast city centre. All turned out to be hoaxes.

Also on Thursday morning a caller to St Dominics High School on the Falls Road in west Belfast claimed a bomb had been placed in the school. The school was evacuated for a number of hours. The claim turned out to be a hoax.

In Alliance Ave in north Belfast a number of stone throwing attacks took place on nationalist houses. Slight damage was caused to a roof. The stoning would be seen as minor.
 

The British Parades Commission is to be revamped at the request of unionists who complained that the Commission is biased in favour of nationalists. Two new organisations are to be created, one (a Parades Facilitation Agency) for mediation and the other to decide on disputed marches.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2002: Belfast city centre was again hit by a number of bomb scares on Friday morning. There was also a bomb scare at Stormont. All scares turned out to be hoaxes. Also later on in the morning Laganside Court house was hit with a bomb hoax.

Brit occupation forces backed up be members of the RUC set up a number of road blocks in a number of areas around Belfast.

Also through the day there was some stoning at interface areas of north and east Belfast.
 

The US State Department said it had added nine groups, including the LVF and UDA/UFF loyalist death squads to a visa blacklist.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2002: There was an attack on a nationalist woman living in the Westland Road in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Loyalists used a large slab of concrete wrapped in a black bin liner and soaked in an unknown substance to smash through the living room window.

Sleeping in the house at the time was grandmother, Collette Grogan who suffers a heart condition and bone disease and who is paralysed on her left side. Collettes husband, Francie, grandchild Courtney, four years old who is recovering from heart surgery and the cousin, Monica Delaney, also four years old who suffers from epilepsy.

The Grogan family were also targeted by loyalists around eight weeks ago when a pipe bomb was thrown through the rear windscreen of their car hours before Francie Grogan was to drive his grandchildren to school. Three years ago Francie was badly beaten after loyalists recognised him as being a nationalist.

The only protection the family have is four buckets filled with water in case of fire. They have now ordered a fire extinguisher.

There was a confrontation on Saturday afternoon between a crowd of loyalists and nationalists who confronted them on the Ardoyne Road. Close fighting took place for a time before it subsided as the RUC moved into the area.

The crowds were made up mostly of teenagers. Through the day there was stone throwing.
 

Two men — John Bullman (38) and Christopher Dineen (49), both from Limerick — were charged with membership of the so-called Real IRA  and possession of ammunition and explosives at the Special (non-jury) Court in Dublin. Christopher Dineen was also charged with possession of an assault rifle.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2002: Sunday was witness to yet more trouble in interface areas of north and east Belfast, again with loyalists targeting nationalist houses in Alliance Ave and Short Strand.
 

Members of loyalist death squads fired a volley of shots during a Remembrance Day ceremony on the Shankill Road in Belfast.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2002: Monday was again witness to trouble in a number of areas. Mostly stone throwing that would be seen as minor.

Also in a number of areas Brit/RUC occupation forces were heavy on the ground. A number of road blocks were set up for a time as has been on-going in north Belfast.
 

Republican Sinn Féin member Joe Lynch of Limerick was returned to Portlaoise jail after being accused of breaking his bail terms.

Four people arrested in Monaghan were charged with IRA membership at the Special Court in Dublin — Aidan Grew (52), from Blackwatertown, Co Armagh, Garrett O'Connor (23), Bawnbrook Hill, Armagh city, Cathal Loughran (26), Fairy Road, Clady, Co Armagh and Dominic Dynes (30) of St Matthews Estate, Keady, Co Armagh. Newspaper reports alleged they were connected with Provisional dissidents.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2002: A 14 year-old-nationalist youth from Ardoyne was up in court charged with over 20 counts of rioting. The youth, one of many young nationalists lifted by the RUC/PSNI. There was no surprise within nationalist Ardoyne that loyalists aren't facing charges. Nationalist youths in nationalist areas, especially those areas on the front line are the ones who face the every day dangers in defence of their community. Everyone has a right to do so.

Also in east Belfast on Tuesday two men were lifted after an air gun and petrol bombs were found in Thorndyke Street.
Stone throwing that saw loyalists attacking nationalist homes in a number of interface areas of north and east Belfast took place on and off throughout the day.
 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2002: There were reports throughout Wednesday of minor stoning in a number of areas in north and east Belfast. For nationalists living in the interface areas it's just another day of more of the same.
 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2002: There were reports of trouble in a number of areas but on a minor level.

Stone throwing once again in the Alliance Ave and Short Strand. Brit/RUC occupation forces were heavy on the ground.
 

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2002: Friday was an action replay of recent days for nationalists living on the front line areas.

In the Alliance Ave one window was broken by loyalist youths who were throwing broken bits of toilets from an empty house in the Glenbryn area.

This kind of thing went on through the day.
 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2002: Early in the day there was some stoning between loyalists and nationalist youths at the top of Alliance Ave on the Ardoyne Road.

The stoning went on for a period of time before subsiding. RUC Land Rovers moved into the area as Brit patrols moved round the area.

Through the day there was what would be seen as minor trouble: Stone throwers from Glenbryn targeted nationalist homes in the Alliance Ave.

Around 9pm the RUC started a deadly game of cat and mouse in the Old Park Road/Bone area of north Belfast.

Nationalist youths, many children, had to run for their lives as RUC Land Rovers drove after them. Witnesses said the RUC moved a number of Land Rovers into the area after children had thrown a number of stones at an RUC Land Rover near a corner shop on the Old Park Road.

The RUC played cat and mouse with the children for about 25 minutes to half and hour. It was just luck that none of the children were run over. One local man said that the reaction of the peelers was over the top. He said "there was a few stones thrown by the kids but we are talking about wee ones. I'd put the oldest about eight to ten years old". But there was little surprise in the Bone to the reaction of the RUC. "The fact is there's nothing new in it," he added.
 

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2002: Around 8pm in Short Strand in east Belfast, loyalists who had been throwing over the so-called peaceline through the day into Clandeboye Drive stepped up their attack and bottles, bricks, paint bombs and petrol bombs and fireworks as well as other missiles were used from the loyalist Cluan Place. This was the scene set for a number of hours. Brit/RUC occupation forces, with no surprise to nationalists, set alongside the loyalist attackers as the attacks on Short Strand went on. Tension was very high in the area.

It was also reported in a Sunday paper, 'The Sunday Life' that a Protestant man beaten to death in the loyalist heartland of Johnny Adairs C Coy, Lower Shankill, had a week before fought with the son of a leading loyalists.

Thomas Johnston was walking with a woman in the Boundary Way in the Shankill around 1:30am on Sunday last when he was attacked. Some in the Shankill area tried to make it seem as if the attack was sectarian, claims that were ruled out by nationalists.

The leading loyalist in the paper report was un-named.
 

A pipe bomb was spotted by a taxi driver in the middle of the road in Obins Drive, Portadown, Co Armagh. Residents from nearby houses were evacuated while British army bomb experts made the device safe.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2002: Again in a number of areas in north and east Belfast nationalist homes were attacked. Stone throwing in the Alliance Ave went on through the day but the worst attacks came to the nationalist people living in Short Strand in east Belfast. Stone throwing from the loyalist Cluan Place into Clandeboye Drive, Bryson Street soon turned to petrol bombs, fire works and blast bombs. Fighting went on into the night. At one stage fighting went on hand to hand. A number of shots were also heard. The attacks on this small nationalist area in east Belfast are ongoing day in, day out.

The Brit/RUC occupation forces with no surprise looked on as loyalists ran riot. One house in Short Strand was set on fire by loyalist petrol bombers.
 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2002: In the Short Strand area it was another day of more of the same. Through the day loyalists in the Cluan Place again threw a number of missiles into Clanderboye Gardens and Madrid Street. This started around 12 noon and went on through the day; and carried on into the night. Brit/RUC occupation forces flooded the area and the trouble said not to be on the level as recent days subsided.
 

Republican Sinn Féin member Christy Dunne had his bail revoked and was returned to Portlaoise jail after 26-County police alleged he had broken the bail terms.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2002: This part of the Westland Road is run by the UDA/UFF and lies side by side with the nationalist part of the Westland Road. The area has been witness to a lot of sectarian loyalist attacks, which have been ongoing. The area is also one of those UDA areas that is believed to have broken away from Johnny Adair. The weapons found were an AK47 and a number of handguns and gun parts as well as bullets, and the drugs. Money and drugs are believed to be the cause of splits within the UDA/UFF gang.

Also through Wednesday stone throwing took place with loyalist youths again targeting nationalist areas in north and east Belfast.
 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2002: Thursday was once more witness to trouble in a number of interface areas. Again targeting of nationalist homes took place in north and east Belfast, where each and every day for almost two years some kind of attack has taken place on the nationalist community.

Once again loyalism has shown yet more splits within its ranks as a number of loyalist families were forced out of the lower Shankill.

One of those forced to leave with his family was "Winkie" Dodds, one time right hand man of notorious loyalist gang leader Johnny Adair.

Concern is growing in the nationalist community in north Belfast at the fact that those who claim to have been forced out of the Shankill are being moved into houses on an interface at White City which is another UDA/UFF stronghold. There have been ongoing countless attacks on the small nationalist community there.

There's little doubt within nationalism that the UDA/UFF are seeking to enforce areas where they already have a foothold.

Little wonder nationalists are concerned when UDA members from the lower Shankill turn up to live on their own front door.
 

It was reported that one of the UDA/UFF loyalist death squads most senior members, William 'Winkie' Dodds, was forced out of his home in the Shankill Road, Belfast by loyalist leader Johnny Adair. Five other families also left under armed RUC/PSNI guard.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2002: Friday for the most was quiet with reports of minor trouble. Stone throwing went on through the day again in north and east Belfast.
 

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2002: There were no reports of trouble at interface areas but there was still no ease from the tensions that are found there.
 

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2002: Reports around 6:30pm on Sunday told of a shooting in Belfast city centre. As reports came in it was also claimed by the Occupation forces that a bomb was found near the scene of the shooting in Upper Queen Street.

The man who was shot is believed to have been hit in the chest and leg. His condition is said to be critical. It was also claimed by occupation forces that another man was lifted near the scene of the shooting.

The memory of the shoot-to-kill policy of the occupation was in everyones minds as once again British bullets cut down another Irishman in what is termed 'disputed circumstances'. What will no doubt follow is a white wash, once again a cover up.
 

A man was shot and wounded by the RUC/PSNI in the Howard Street area of Belfast city centre. A man was also arrested. At around the same time the British army was called to examine a 'suspicious vehicle' in nearby Upper Queen Street and a controlled explosion was carried out. It was reported that the car contained a large incendiary device.

The most senior RUC/PSNI Special Branch officer in Belfast, Bill Lowry (55), resigned due to tensions with the Chief Constable Hugh Orde.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2002: British army foot patrols was what those who went into Belfast city centre to work or for Christmas shopping would meet on Monday. In the small streets around Library Street past the Irish News office in Lower Donegal Street, the foot patrols made up of Brits and RUC moved about.

In a throwback to scene of the 70s and 80s people going about their business couldn't help but turn their heads or make a remark about the foot patrols, which is little doubt more to do with the lie being sold to people that such things are a thing of the past.

Reports today stated that the man shot by occupation forces on Sunday is 23 years old and from west Belfast. His condition was stated as critical but stable.

In north Belfast at Alliance Ave around tea time a number of half bricks were thrown over the so-called peace line from Glenbryn hitting the roof of a houses. At this stage its not believed any damage was caused.

There were no other reports of trouble.
 

The British government published legislative proposals on policing designed to entice the Provisionals into joining the RUC/PSNI police boards and telling nationalists to join the renamed British colonial police force in the Six Counties.

The man shot by he RUC/PSNI in Belfast on November 24 was named as Paul Donnelly (23) from the Springfield Road area of west Belfast.

A man was shot and injured by the RUC/PSNI after a series of ram-raids on several premises in Newry, Co Down. Six policemen were injured.
 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2002: Six people were arrested following raids by British Crown Forces on houses in Belfast and north Antrim in connection with Provisional gun-running from Florida in 1999.
 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2002: Terence McCafferty (34) a mechanic from Dill House in the New Lodge area of Belfast was charged at Belfast Magistrates Court with conspiring with another person to cause an explosion and possessing an improvised explosive device likely to endanger property in Upper Queen Street in Belfast city centre on November 24.

Mark John Pilling, Heron Way, in the Waterside area of Derry was charged in Limavady court with 16 offences including one of attempted murder, three of conspiracy to murder, four of possessing firearms, one of possessing three pipe bombs and one of membership of the UDA/UFF.
 

THURS. NOVEMBER 28: Four people —Patricia O'Kane (26), Maria Brogan (27), Paul Scott, all from Dunloy, Co Antrim and Seán Burns (26) from west Belfast — were charged at Belfast Magistrates Court with "making available money or other property for the benefit of a proscribed organisation, namely the [Provisional] IRA, to purchase firearms, ammunition and other property between January 1, 1999 and July 31, 1999.

As the patrol just passed the corner shop and just across from the Sacred Heart chapel the youths threw a number of bricks and bottles.

The youths then made off into the side streets cheering as they went; the foot patrol moved fast out of the danger zone.

There were no further reports of the trouble through the day; but there is no doubt the RUC and Brit foot patrols will be ever watchful for militant nationalism; who will take every opportunity to attack them.
 

Mark Apsley (38) was shot dead at his home in Dickson park, Ballygowan, near Belfast in what was believed to be a UDA/UFF loyalist death squad killing. The UDA also threatened to target RUC/PSNI members for operations against the organisation in which guns and drugs were seized.

It was reported that the police officer leading the hunt for the killers of Rosemary Nelson, the human rights lawyer killed in a loyalist car bomb in 1999, is resigning from the inquiry, prompting fears of a cover-up.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2002: The early hours of Sunday morning was witness to more trouble within loyalism when an attack believed to have been carried o but by the Lower Shankill gang of Johnny Adair who burned cars and a caravan as well as firing a number of shots into the house of a loyalist, who was forced out of the lower Shankill Raid around a year ago and moved to the loyalist Westland Road area in north Belfast. Two cars were seen driving off at speed from the scene.
 

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2002: Monday passed off without any reports of trouble.
 

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2002: Around 7.30am occupation forces descended into nationalist Ardoyne and nor for the first time lifted a nationalist youth.

Also on Tuesday three young nationalists were taken from their homes, two aged 15 years old the other 16 years old.

Once again as with those before who were lifted it is believed that it is because of nationalist resistance to the pogroms carried out against their community, by sectarian loyalism and British occupation forces in recent months.

It has been pointed out in SAOIRSE before that these arrests have only been carried out against the nationalist community.

There is no surprise within the nationalist community that loyalists are not being treated in the same way. Nationalist youths who have been arrested and are charged, when bailed suffer very strict bail conditions as they are nor allowed within a mile of their own homes.

The injustice of this is clear; many of the youths have to stay with relations. Many of the youth find themselves living away across Belfast, miles from their own homes and family. The upset caused to the whole family, schoolwork etc. all become victims of this injustice. The question now is how many more will find themselves under such conditions,

Through the day Brit/RUC Occupation set up roadblocks around Belfast city centre. There was a number of bomb scares throughout the morning which turned out to be a hoax.
 

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Web layout by SAOIRSE -- Irish Freedom December 7, 2002  Send links, events notifications, articles, comments etc, to the editor at: saoirse@iol.ie.