Intelligence-gathering exposed

An RUC unit using video recording equipment was on an intelligence gathering patrol in the Lower Ormeau Road area of Belfast last Thursday, 19 October.
An RUC jeep arrived at Cooke Court at about 10.05am. Three RUC men, two uniformed and the other in plain clothes, got out with a video camera which they set up on a t.ripod. A woman who was watching said they took sweeping shots of the area and focused on three specific houses and cars parked in the street. One of the houses is occupied by a woman who is a leading activist in the Lower Ormeau Concerned Community (LOCC) campaign to have Orange parades barred from the Lower Ormeau area.

LOCC spokesperson Gerard Rice stated that the same RUC squad took video footage of his home before moving off around the district taping at other locations. He said that he has asked his solicitor to demand an explanation from the RUC.

RIR ad in Donegal paper

The British army placed a recruitment ad in a popular Donegal newspaper. The ad in the Derry People and Donegal News, which is sold mainly in the Letterkenny area, appeared on 14 October and has been described as "repulsive" by Letterkenny Sinn Féin's Martin Brogan.

Recruits were sought for the Royal Irish Regiment (formerly the UDR) which is currenlty engaged in a drive for members with TV adverts featuring prominently. "At a time when the peace process is still very much in crisis, it is most unfortunate to find this newspaper being used to try and recruit members for the British death squads," said Brogan.

Donegal's Highland Radio carried an ad for the RUC shortly after the IRA ceasefire. This was stopped after complaints from the public and from political representatives.

RUC target Criagavon man

Since making a complaint against the RUC Special Branch on 6 June this year Craigavon man PJ McDade, a one time Sinn Féin election worker, has been subjected to a campaign of intense RUC harassment.

McDade told AP/RN: "I have been constantly followed, held at checkpoints for up to 40 minutes and have had surveillance both night and day on my home. Normally when I am stopped the RUC give my car a good going over, looking for any defect so they can give me a fixed penalty fine of £20."

McDade has since instructed his solicitor to take a case against the RUC asking them to explain why they are putting his house under surveillance.

RUC reroute Saoirse march

The prisoners campaign group Saoirse unveiled its new mural at Dromara Street in the Lower Ormeau area of Belfast on Sunday, 22 October. The unveiling took place after Saoirse representatives marched from McClure Street to the mural.

Originally the march was to set off from the Short Strand but the organisers were forced by the RUC to change the assembly point to McClure Street. Sinn Féin representative Seán Hayes accused the RUC of trying to turn the march into a confrontation.

"The RUC told organisers that the march, passing near Donegall Pass was a problem and that they wanted an alternative route. But there is none and the march's actual starting point was closer to residents in Donegall Pass than the original parade route".

Speaking in the pouring rain to the 400 strong rally were Sinn Féin's spokesperson on prisons, Pat McGeown and local representative, Sean Hayes and Máiréad Uí hAdhmaill of Saoirse.

Republican dead honoured in Maghera

THE County Derry and Southwest Antrim annual commemoration was held in the County Derry town of Maghera on 22 October.

Over 500 people accompanied by bands from Derry city, Gortin, Dungivin and South Derry attended the commereation in honour of the republican dead of County Derry and Southwest Antrim. Ceremonies were chaired by local Sinn Féin Councillor Gerry Walsh. He called on Mary Davey, wife of assassinated Sinn Féin Councillor John Davey to read the Roll of Honour.West Belfast Councillor Una Gillespie to gave the main oration.

North Belfast Volunteer honoured

DRIVING RAIN was no deterrent to hundreds of North Belfast republicans who marched on 22 October from Unity Flats to the commemoration garden in Ardoyne in memory of IRA Volunteer Thomas Begley, who died while planting a bomb beneath a UDA leadership meeting on the Shankill Road in October 1993.

Organised by the Carrick Hill Martyrs' Band of which Thomas Begley had been a member bands from Belfast and Scotland marched in a parade dogged for its entire length by a heavy RUC presence. After the wreath-laying Sinn Féin's North Belfast chairperson, Seán Hughes paid tribute to Begley.

Henry Brothers in MOD row

The construction firm, Henry Brothers has accused their paymasters, the British Ministry of Defence, of stealing plans for a bomb proof shelter.

The Magherafelt based firm, became notorious as the main building contractor for the British crown forces in the Six Counties. The row between Henry Brothers and the British MOD erupted after constructions designed by the firm to resist the IRA's Mark 15 mortars were built at several British army border posts by other contractors.

British OK more pullution

European anti-pollution laws governing the emission of oxides of sulphur and nitrogen by power stations are to be scrapped in the Six Counties following a decision by the British Department of the Environment in Whitehall.

The decison followed lobbying by Northern Ireland Electricity, who propose to replace their consumption of low sulphur fuels with cheaper but environmentally dirtier, fuel. The subsequent cut in production costs, estimated by NIE to be 1%, is unlikely to be passed onto consumers. Despite surging profits by NIE and the power generators, the price of electricity to consumers in the Six counties was increased by 6% this year - and now pollution has been added to that cost.

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