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13 September 2000 Edition

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Back issue: IRA bombs British Navy ship

THE IRA have once again embarrassed British security chiefs and shown their continuing ability to strike at the most sensitive British military targets in the Six Counties with a bomb attack on the £130 million British Ministry of Defence ship, the Fort Victoria, at Belfast's Harland and Wolfe shipyard.

The attack also underlines the basic cause of conflict in Ireland - the British military presence.

Atempts by some politicians to present this operation as an attack on workers at the shipyard are patent nonsense. The logic of their argument would dictate that any military action by any army anywhere is unjustified because civilian workers were involved in the construction of the enemy's machinery. This was an attack on a prestigious piece of British military hardware.

The IRA said in a statement on the attack: ``We will not accept a colonial power adding insult to injury to the Irish people in occupied Ireland by using the Six Counties for contructing military machiner.''

The operation demonstrates the resourcefulness and tenacity of the IRA. They are determined to maintain presure on the British presence in Ireland. After 20 years of war they retain the ability to destroy British complacency and force them to keep on refining their defences. They will continue to do this, closing down every British option until they have but one left - withdrawal.

An Phoblacht, Thursday 13 September 1990.




An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland