Irish Republican News · May 2, 2015

Repressive raids blamed on British Army unit

The Republican Network for Unity have said they witnessed a number of armed house raids carried out on the homes of republican political activists in North Belfast and Derry, including a member of RNU’s Ard Comhairle (leadership).

It also said there had been a spike in the number of stop-and-search detentions in the same areas, targeting republicans opposed to the Stormont political process.

“In two of the house raids young children were present, including the disabled son of an RNU activist who was visibly traumatised by the sight of heavily armed and masked intruders in his home,” they said in a statement.

“Another young child in North Belfast was so shaken by the incident he wet himself, much to the amusement of the RUC/PSNI who erupted into laughter.”

The RNU said “not one arrest” was made during these raids, some of which involved a secretive British Army unit who refused to identify their regiment. They are believed to be from the SRR (Special Reconnaissance Regiment) who have been recently redeployed to the North of Ireland.

SILENCED AFTER SANDS’ QUOTE

In a separate development, Republican Sinn Fein said one of its members, Seamus Mac Domhnaill, was arrested immmediately after delivering an oration at an Easter commemoration in Scotland.

Republican Sinn Fein said the arrest and detention for 48 hours of its activist and local spokesperson was another attempt to silence Irish republicans.

In his speech, Mr MacDomhnaill reportedly encouraged those in attendance to become active supporters of Irish republicanism, quoting a famous statement by hunger striker Bobby Sands: ‘Everyone, Republican or otherwise has their own particular part to play. No part is too great or too small, no one is too old or too young to do something.’

A spokesperson of Republican Sinn Fein said: “The arrest of Seamus Mac Domhnaill for encouraging people to support republicanism and a united Ireland is an attempt to silence progressive and democratic voices in Scotland.”

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