11 March 2004 Edition

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Collusion Wall unveiled

Sinn Féin West Belfast MLA Bairbre de Brún officially unveiled the Collusion Wall on Beechmount Avenue in West Belfast on Wednesday.

"This wall, on which is told the stories of some of the victims of collusion, is an important step in breaking the silence about the true nature of British rule in Ireland," she said. "These are the stories of some of the people targeted by the British state and killed by its agents working with loyalist death squads. These stores are representative of the hundreds of victims of a policy of state sponsored murder. It does not tell the whole story. It is a work in progress and the families of others killed as a result of collusion are very welcome to add to this impressive and moving memorial.

"The policy of employing the loyalist death squads was endorsed at the highest political level. The British Government has never accepted its responsibility for the deaths which resulted from this policy.

"The policy of state-sponsored murder needs to be acknowledged, rescinded and the agencies, which executed this policy, need to be dismantled. It's time for the truth about collusion."

Nationalist homes attacked after Rangers lose

The windows of two Catholic-owned homes and three cars were attacked by a group of drunken loyalists in North Belfast just hours after the Celtic and Rangers football match on Sunday 8 March.

The windows in the homes and cars were smashed in Charnwood Avenue near the Cavehill and Westlands Roads at around 7.30pm, as drunken loyalists reacted to that afternoon's match when Celtic defeated Rangers, sending the loyalist supported team crashing out of the Scottish Cup.

One home had six windows broken and a number of cars were attacked by five or six loyalists armed with hammers and planks.

One resident said the loyalists went round the house and cars smashing windows. "One car was left without a single window in it, and in one house a woman with a child was left very shaken during the loyalist rampage. This happens every time there is a Rangers and Celtic match", said a resident.

Sinn Féin Councillor Caral Ní Chuilín told An Phoblacht that it was very lucky no one was seriously injured in the rampage.

"These sectarian attacks by drunken loyalist thugs on nationalist homes and cars are almost a predictable occurence for the Catholic community in North Belfast after these matches."

In December 2002 a public house used by loyalists in the Westland area was closed by the PSNI amid fears of sectarian attacks following an Old Firm game.

Catholic homes and cars had also been damaged by drunkin loyalists in May that year and in October unionist paramilitaries fired high velocity rounds at the PSNI during a night of sectarian attacks in the same area.

Man seriously injured by loyalists

A 38-year-old Catholic is undergoing facial reconstruction surgery in Dundonald Hospital after he was attacked by three loyalists as he returned home after a night out at St Comgalls Social Club in Larne.

According to local sources, the loyalists had lain in wait for the man, who is well known in the Seacourt area, before attacking him with breeze blocks.

During the attack, the loyalists, who are connected to the UDA, dropped the blocks onto his head.

Sinn Féin Moyle Councillor Oliver McMullan described the attack as attempted murder and, speaking to An Phoblacht, called on "society to take attacks on nationalists in Larne seriously.

"Unionist paramilitaries are determined to make Larne town centre a no-go area for Catholics. The viciousness of this attack shows the lengths unionist paramilitaries will go to preserve their sectarian ethos in the East Antrim area."

First conviction for possessing loyalist flags

In the first conviction of its kind in the Six Counties, four loyalists have been found gulity for being in possession of paramilitary flags.

Three teenagers and a 20-year-old man were convicted under the Terrorism Act at Newtownards Court on Tuesday 2 March after being found gulity of possessing flags last summer associated with an illegal unionist paramilitary organisation.

Jamie Robert Clarke, Alan Robert Ferguson and Stephen Walker, all 18, from Holywood and Robert Warnock from Belfast were arrested after a large number of Loyalist Volunteer Force flags were flown in the mixed Loughview Estate last July.

After complaints from residents, members of the PSNI had to intervene twice to remove the LVF flags before the four loyalists were arrested.

Sentencing of the four was adjourned until the end of the month, while pre-sentence reports are prepared.

Nationalists threatened

Unionist paramilitaries have threatened "to take serious action within 72 hours" against six nationalists in North Belfast who they say are "involved in activities against the loyalist people of the Shankill and upper Ardoyne areas".

Members of the PSNI visited the homes of the six people concerned on Sunday 8 March to warn them of the threats, which they said were made through anonymous phone calls. The PSNI, however, refused to identify which unionist paramilitary group was behind the threat.

Sinn Féin Councillor Margaret McClenaghan told An Phoblacht that these threats "are a very worrying development given the sectarian attacks emanating from unionist groupings. The people who have been threatened all have young families and are worried about personal security for themselves and their families."

McClenaghan warned nationalists to be very vigilant.


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland