Irish Republican News · December 7, 2006

Mortar attack on PSNI base

The PSNI station in Craigavon County Armagh came under mortar attack on Tuesday in one of three incidents linked to traditionalist ‘dissident’ republicans inside 24 hours.

Although the mortar round apparently missed its target, it was the first such attack in some time and an escalation of the traditionalist campaign.

Meanwhile, a bomb was defused in the garden of a County Tyrone house after an anonymous telephone warning. while in Strabane, County Tyrone, what was described as a “viable device” was removed from a pub car park at Cloughcor.

Sinn Féin MP Pat Doherty said there was “absolutely no support” for those responsible for the “futile” attacks, which caused widespread disruption.

Earlier in the week, supporters of protesting republican prisoners in Maghaberry jail mounted a white-line picket in Newry.

The protest on Saturday was organised by the Republican Prisoners’ Action Group (RPAG) and was followed by a rally.

Richard Walsh the PRO of the Republican Prisoners’ Action Group and a member of the Ard-Chomhairle of Republican Sinn Féin was the main speaker and he outlined the ongoing protest of the Republican POWs and their five demands.

“They have been on protest since the June 19,” he said.

“Political status was signed away by former Republicans under the terms of the Stormont Agreement in 1998.

“However, the POWs have made it clear that they will never allow themselves to be criminalised by traitors or anyone else.”

Referring to the recent decision by Sinn Féin to nominate to a policing partnership in Dublin, Mr Walsh said that the 26-County Gardai police were renowned for their harassment of Republicans.

“Furthermore, this is clearly a move in the direction of seeking endorsement for the RUC,” he added. “They may have changed their name and their emblems, but their primary function is still to serve as the first line of defence for English rule in Ireland.

“Regardless of what the Provos say or do, the only attitude of true Republicans to the British Colonial Police is one of eternal hostility.”

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