Republican News · Thursday 4 September 2003

Sectarian attack on Newry teen

Newry Sinn Féin councillor Cathy Rafferty has urged people to be wary following a vicious sectarian attack on two boys at the weekend. The boys, aged 14 and 12, were assaulted at the bottom of Scotch Street in the town around 1.30pm on Saturday afternoon, while on a errand for their mother.

"These young boys were attacked by two grown men in broad daylight on one of the busiest streets in the town and on the busiest day of the week," said Rafferty. "By virtue of the fact that one of the boys was wearing a local Gaelic football jersey, they were identified as nationalists by two men reported to be in their mid 20s and set upon."

One of the boys managed to escape but the second boy received a beating from the thugs. Amid a tirade of sectarian abuse, the boy was kicked and punched by the two adults and ran into a local business for safety. His attackers did not follow but remained outside for a time, shouting sectarian abuse. The boy was helped by customers and staff and escorted from the area. Meanwhile, the two thugs returned to the pub from which they had originally emerged. They continued to shout sectarian abuse at the boy as he was being led to safety.

"This attack occurred not more than 100 yards from the PSNI Barracks at the Newry Road and there was a further PSNI patrol in Scotch Street at the time," said Rafferty. "Had this boy fallen beneath his attackers kicks and punches, then the result could well have been very more serious. The case of Portadown murder victim Robert Hamill springs to mind. This was a 14-year-old boy being viciously attacked by two fully-grown men who were intent on doing as much physical harm as possible.

"This attack is very serious but unfortunately it is by no means an isolated incident. Credit is due to the staff and customers of the business where the boy took refuge, but the reality is that Saturday's attack in only one in along list of sectarian attacks in this general area. Most at risk are taxi drivers, many of whom have had stones and bottles thrown at their cars. However, there have been other incidents where other members of the public stopping at traffic lights in the area have been attacked. It would appear that there are some within loyalist circles who are intent on driving nationalists from this area. The concentration of attacks is sending out the messages that nationalists are not welcome."

Loyalists attack GAA supporters

Armagh family had a lucky escape when their car was attacked with stones by loyalists on Sunday evening last as they returned from watching their team win the All-Ireland football semi-final against Donegal in Dublin.

The family from Lurgan were stopped at traffic lights in the Malcolm Road area of the town when their car was stoned by a group of loyalists.

The woman, who does not wish to be named, was in the car with her six-year-old son, her parents and her sister.

"My son was petrified," she said. "He kept asking me why they threw stones at us. I told him I didn't know. He asked if they were they from a different county, I told him they were from the same county then he wanted to know why they did not support their county like everyone else. All I could say was I didn't know."

The woman said she had stopped before reaching Banbridge and removed orange and white flags from her car in the hope of evading any attention, but all to no benefit.

A number of other cars, many carrying families with young children, were also damaged in the sectarian onslaught.

Sinn Féin's former Upper Bann representative Dara O'Hagan accused loyalists of trying to inflict serious injury on GAA fans travelling home to Lurgan.

O'Hagan told An Phoblacht that the attacks were orchestrated as the perpetrators know that supporters returning to Lurgan must travel through the Malcolm Road area.

O'Hagan said the silence from unionist political and community leaders in relation to such attacks hasn't gone unnoticed by nationalists.

"I would challenge those with influence in the unionist community to condemn these attacks and then to proceed to use their influence in a manner that will ensure there will be no repeat of the bitter display of sectarianism directed at GAA fans in Lurgan on Sunday," she said.

Drugs imported by LVF gang seized in Ballyclare

A 39-year-old man appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court on Monday 1 September charged in connection with the weekend seizure of £1 million-worth of drugs imported by unionist paramilitaries.

Paul Hughes from Marian Park, Ballykinler in County Down, was charged with possessing 120,000 Ecstacy tablets with a street value of £1.2 million and having them with intent to supply after they were found in the cab of a vehicle in Ballyclare, County Antrim.

A member of the PSNI told the court the drugs were destined for the LVF, who intended to distribute them throughout the Mid Ulster area.

It also emerged in court that a member of the gang being sought in connection with the find has fled to Spain.

Resident magistrate Geoff Millar granted Hughes personal bail of £1,000 plus two £5,000 sureties on condition he continues to reside in his family home and reports to Downpatrick PSNI every day.

Hughes was released to appear in court again on 8 September.

Protesting collusion as Para Prince arrives

Dozens of protesters gathered at the gates of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast in advance of the visit to the hospital of a member of the British royal family, Prince Charles, on Tuesday 2 September.

The protest, organised by the pressure group An Fhírinne (The Truth), highlighted the issue of collusion between the British crown forces and unionist death squads.

In a statement, An Fhírinne said: "We are calling on the British government to admit to its involvement from its most senior political level, from Margaret Thatcher and Patrick Mayhew down through its agents Ronnie Flanagan and Gordon Kerr down to its hired killers and paid informers, Brian Nelson, William Stobie, Ken Barrett and Tommy Lyttle, who were allowed to murder with impunity."

Among the protesters was Teresa Slane, whose husband Gerard was shot dead by the UDA, acting on information supplied by Brian Nelson.