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1 September 2005 Edition

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Unionist terror

Unionist paramilitary attacks - June-August 2005

Unionist paramilitary attacks - June-August 2005

Last week Sinn Féin published a major new report detailing the horrific reality of unionist paramilitary activity.

The dossier, published on 18 August, details attacks carried out by unionist paramilitary gangs in the period since June of this year.

Although by no means comprehensive, due to the fact that so many such attacks go unreported, it still offers a chilling picture of orchestrated sectarian intimidation, particularly in areas where there is a vulnerable nationalist minority.

Vicious murder

Apart from the murderous feud between the UVF and LVF concentrated mainly in Belfast, unionist paramilitaries have targeted Catholic churches, schools, nationalist homes and nationalist-owned businesses. These sectarian attacks included the vicious murder of 15-year-old Thomas Devine in Belfast last month.

The report shows very graphically where the threat to peace in Ireland emanates from. It raises major questions about the unionist political leadership and the Orange Order. The Ulster Unionists, DUP and Orange Order all share forums and commissions with the leaderships of the UVF and UDA and have major influence with them. Sinn Féin has pointed out that people have a right to know what these parties and the Orange Order are doing to end this violent campaign against the nationalist community.

Furthermore the question must be asked as to what the Dublin Government is doing in terms of bringing pressure to bear with the British Government and the unionist political leadership to end this onslaught.

Unionist views on paramilitary violence

Catholic homes caught fire because they were loaded with petrol bombs; Catholic churches were attacked and burned because they were arsenals and priests handed out sub-machine guns to parishioners.

Ian Paisley, DUP Leader, 1968.

We should make it clear that force means death and fighting, and whoever gets in our way, whether republicans or those sent by the British Government, there would be killings.

John Taylor, UUP, Tobermore, October 1972.

There is in particular amongst the Catholic community now, increasing fear of paramilitary activities. And in a perverse way, this is something which may be helpful because they are now beginning to appreciate more clearly the fear that has existed within the Protestant community for the past 20 years.

John Taylor.

My men are ready to be recruited under the crown to destroy the vermin of the IRA. But if they refuse to recruit them, then we will have no other decision to make but to destroy the IRA ourselves!... We will exterminate the IRA!

Ian Paisley, November 1981.

If the British Government force us down the road to a united Ireland we will fight to the death... This could come to hand to hand fighting in every street in Northern Ireland. We are on the verge of civil war... We are asking people to be ready for the worst and I will lead them.

Ian Paisley, Ulster Clubs Rally, Larne, 1985.

Taxpayers money would be better spent on an incinerator and burning the whole lot of them. The priests should be thrown in and burned as well.

DUP Councillor George Seawright, 1984.

Ulster Resistance is not for the faint or half hearted and we will use all means which are deemed necessary to defeat the Agreement.

Ian Paisley, Ulster Resistance Rally, Belfast, November 1986.

The Orange Order is a very broad church and it's not my responsibility to say to people they can't be members of various organisations.

Belfast County Grand Master Dawson Bailie when asked about Orange Order members involvement with unionist paramilitaries, August 2000.

They are on our side. We might not agree with everything they do but they have been helpful to brethren in North and West Belfast, and continued to defend Orange Order refusal to talk to residents.

Orange Order Belfast Deputy Grand Master McMurdie when asked about Orange Order links to unionist paramilitaries, July 2005.

Dossier of unionist terror

The following dossier details attacks carried out by unionist paramilitary gangs in the period since June 2005 (as reported in the media) Although by no means comprehensive, due to the fact that so many attacks go unreported it offers a chilling picture of orchestrated sectarian intimidation, particularly in areas where there is a vulnerable nationalist minority

JUNE 2005

2 June - Blast bombs thrown at two homes in Ahorey, Richill in a racist attack on Eastern European workers.

3 June - Loyalist feud erupts in violence inside the Belfast court complex.

4 June - Two Catholic-owned cars set on fire and sectarian slogans daubed in East Belfast

7 June - Catholic homes in Coleraine attacked.

5 June - Names of Sinn Féin election workers posted on walls in Coleraine.

Pipe Bombs thrown at the homes of migrant workers in racist attack in Loughgall.

6 June - 27-year-old attacked by masked gang wielding baseball bats in his Ballyclare home.

Car set on fire in racist attack in Loughgall.

7 June - Catholic homes and a car were petrol bombed in Coleraine.

10 June - 56-year-old woman attacked in her Ballymoney home and given 24 hours to leave.

16 June - 28-year-old shot in Greenland Park, Lurgan.

Four masked men attack a man at his home in Ballyree Drive, Bangor.

17 June - Elderly Catholic woman left hospitalised after attack on her Kerrera Street home in Ardoyne.

19 June - Two nationalists assaulted by loyalist mob in Ballymena

20 June - Three Catholic homes at Old Throne Park, North Belfast destroyed after sectarian arson attack. Eight children including a small baby lucky to escape alive.

22 June - Ballymena man jailed after UVF gun running plot exposed.

23 June - Arson attack on St John's Catholic Church in Portadown.

28 June - 20-year-old shot in the legs in Bangor.

Loyalist flags erected outside PSNI barracks in mixed Dunmurray village.

29 June - Loyalist flags erected in mixed Lisburn Road area.

Petrol-bomb attack the home of a 19-year-old woman, Braeside Grove, Castlereagh.

17-year-old shot, Carrickmannin Gardens, Bangor.

JULY 2005

1 July - Loyalist mob led by PUP member Billy McCaughey disrupt DPP meeting in Clough, County Antrim. SDLP councillor escorted from the meeting by the PSNI.

Jameson Lockhart shot dead by UVF, Newtownards Road, East Belfast.

5 July - Catholic homes on Mountpottinger Road Attacked by loyalist gang.

6 July - 30-year-old shot, Carlingford Street, Cregagh Road.

9 July - Catholic home on the Crumlin Road fire bombed.

10 July - Gun attack linked to the LVF on a home in the Silverstream Road area of North Belfast.

11 July - Craig McCausland shot dead by the UVF, Dhu Varren, North Belfast.

Man forced to flee home in Woodvale Pass as masked and armed gang burst in.

Man shot and seriously injured on the Crumlin Road in an attacked linked to the LVF.

Catholic woman forced to flee her Ahoghill home after 50 years due to attacks.

Catholic taxi driver and passengers attacked in Blacks Road area of West Belfast.

PSNI patrol attacked in East Belfast and weapon stolen.

Business premises on Cregagh Road burned down in arson attack.

UVF firing party appear at Belfast City Council backed bonfire on the Newtownards Road.

UDA firing party appear at bonfire in the Westlands area.

Harryville Church in Ballymena daubed with sectarian slogans.

Attempt to abduct nationalist in Portstewart.

12 July - UVF and UDA figures join Orange Parade through Ardoyne, Mountainview and the Dales in North Belfast.

Loyalist protest outside St Matthew's Catholic Church, East Belfast.

Nationalist residents in Lower Ormeau attacked by stone-throwing loyalists taking part in 12th parade.

13 July - Catholic homes in Clandeboye Gardens in the Short Strand area attacked.

15 July - Sinn Féin member in Coleraine told of threat to his life.

Four nationalists in Coleraine told of unionist paramilitary threat to their lives

16 July - Petrol-bomb attack on the Diamond Bar, Ahoghill, County Antrim

Blast bomb explodes inside Catholic woman‚s home, Mountainview Gardens.

Catholic homes in the Short Strand once again come under attack.

17 July - Blast bomb thrown into a house at Schomberg Court, Carrickfergus.

Three nationalist homes in Coleraine attacked.

18 July - UVF carry out gun attack on house at Victoria Road, East Belfast.

20 July - Shots fired at house in Avonor Drive, East Belfast.

Woman in Coleraine has home petrol bombed.

21 July - Petrol-bomb attack on Half Way House bar in Broughshane, County Antrim

23 July - Sectarian slogans daubed on Catholic properties in Garvagh, County Derry.

Several nationalists in Dunloy, County Antrim visited by the PSNI and warned that they are under threat from unionist paramilitaries.

Holy Cross Church in Ardoyne petrol bombed.

Device left on Dublin rail line to disrupt travel to the GAA Ulster Final in Dublin.

24 July - Man in his 40s shot in the Shankill Road area.

25 July - Hundreds of UVF members invade Garnerville Estate in East Belfast and force LVF linked families to flee in full view of the PSNI and British Army.

Taxi Depot in the Ballysillan area destroyed in arson attack linked to loyalist feud.

Leading republican Martin Meehan advised by the PSNI that his life is under threat from unionist paramilitaries.

Another paint-bomb attack on Harryville Church in Ballymena.

Two men shot in Tynedale Grove in North Belfast.

26 July - Two Catholic churches in Ballymena attacked.

Catholic-owned bar in Martinstown, County Antrim fire bombed.

Catholic-owned bar in Rasharkin, County Antrim fire bombed.

Ten shots fired at a house in Station Road, Newtownabby.

A woman and two children escape after petrol-bomb attack on their home in Silverstream Gardens.

27 July - Nationalist home in Coleraine has windows broken.

30th July - Stephen Paul shot dead by the UVF, Wheatfield Crescent, North Belfast.

31 July - UDA linked to the shooting of a 38-year-old in the Westland area.

AUGUST 2005

1 August - PSNI attacked by loyalist gang, Palmer Street in the Woodvale area.

Bomb left outside home in Knockeen Crescent, Ballymena.

Shots fired into a house in Randalstown, County Antrim.

Petrol-bomb attack on Catholic home in Laurel Park, Ahoghill.

2 August - Petrol-bomb attack on home at Redwood, Dunmurry.

4 August - Loyalist paramilitaries orchestrate riot on the Crumlin Road in North Belfast.

5 August - Further rioting on the Crumlin Road.

6 August - Catholic man attacked in Coleraine shop

7 August - Man shot and seriously injured Glenside Park. Victim believed to be leading LVF figure.

Device left at Brookfield Mill, North Belfast.

8 August - Three houses in Cloughmills, County Antrim attacked with pipe bombs

9 August - Fire Blankets issues to Catholic families in Ahoghill, County Antrim.

The Banbridge Home of Sinn Féin Councillor Dessie Ward petrol bombed.

Harryville Catholic Church in Ballymena paint bombed.

Catholic home in Ballymena has windows smashed.

Masked loyalist protestors are joined by DUP politicians for illegal protest in Ballymena.

10 August - St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Lisburn daubed with sectarian slogans

15-year-old Thomas Devlin murdered in North Belfast attack, attributed in the media to the UVF.

12 August - Catholic homes in the Waterside area of Derry attacked.

Leading LVF figure Gordon Hutchinson shot and seriously injured in Lurgan.

Two flats in Rathcoole come under pipe-bomb attack.

Pipe bomb left outside republican home in Beechmount Avenue, West Belfast.

13 August - 30-year-old shot in the legs in Newtownabby.

14 August - Newsagents shop on the Antrim Road in Belfast set fire in arson attack.

15-year-old tied to a lamp post and covered in paint on the Donegal Road.

15 August - Catholic home in Kilrea attacked.

Catholic home in Ahoghill, County Antrim paint bombed.

Michael Greene, an LVF associate, shot dead in the Sandy Row area of South Belfast

16 August - St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ahoghill, paint bombed.

St Mary's Catholic Church, Ahoghill paint bombed.

Pipe bomb left outside home, Windslow, Carrickfergus.


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
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Ireland