15 April 2004 Edition

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Business as usual for unionist thugs

In a week that has witnessed widespread sectarian attacks throughout the Six Counties, loyalists have committed arson on a GAA club in Armagh, targeted a Catholic church with paint bombs and threatened to kill Catholic workmen in Ballymoney, County Antrim.

Armagh

The last week's cycle of loyalist violence began last week, when Madden GAA clubhouse on the Monaghan Road outside Armagh City was extensively damaged when loyalists set the clubrooms alight shortly after 11pm on Thursday 8 April. It is thought roof tiles where removed and flammable liquid was poured into the building before being ignited.

A passerby noticed flames coming from the building and raised the alarm.

The clubrooms had only reopened two weeks ago after renovations costing more than £130,000.

Ballyclare

A stained glass window and brickwork at Sacred Heart Chapel in Ballyclare, County Antrim, were damaged when three paintbombs were thrown at the building on the Doagh Road around 12.20am on Thursday 8 April.

The attack on the Catholic church came just weeks after the parish priest's home was targeted by arsonists, who pushed wheelie bins full of rubbish against the back of the chapel and set them alight. Severe scorch damage was caused to the building, while three stained glass windows in the chapel were also damaged.

Ballymoney

Catholic workmen have been forced out of a loyalist housing estate in Ballymoney, County Antrim, following threats from the UDA. The contractor who is carrying out repairs to homes in the Glebe area of Ballymoney refused to go back on site following the threats.

According to Sinn Féin's North Antrim Assembly member Philip McGuigan, the unionist paramilitaries planted a hoax bomb at the estate last week "as they sought to underline the seriousness of their threat and intensify their intimidation".

East Belfast

Loyalist paramilitaries planted a bomb at a house in East Belfast on Friday 9 April as part of a wave of security alerts across the city. Most of the devices planted were declared hoaxes although that left on the doorstep of a house in Shaw Street proved to be viable. A man living alone at the house was said to be shocked by the ordeal, while the PSNI said he was attacked in mistake for a prison warder.

Limavady

In Limavady, County Derry, a number of loyalist flags have been erected in the Anderson Park area of the town in an attempt to raise sectarian tensions in the area.

Derry City

A young Derry Catholic was subjected to a tirade of sectarian abuse before being kicked and punched by up to 12 loyalists as he left a shop in Rossdowney Road in the Waterside area of the city with his brother at around 10pm on Easter Sunday night.

The young man sustained bruising to his face and was treated at Altnagelvin Hospital for his injuries. Earlier this year, another young person was the victim of a sectarian attack at Lisnagelvin Shopping Centre.

Also in Derry, republicans have been warned to step up their personal security after a well known loyalist from the Waterside was spotted close to the homes of prominent republicans living in the Bogside area.

The loyalist was spotted on several occasions in the proximity of a number of republican homes and meeting places.

Sinn Féin National Chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin said "this individual is known to be extremely militant in his anti-nationalist views and his presence corresponds with the upsurge in unionist paramilitary violence throughout the North.

"I would urge all republican activists to review their personal security and to remain vigilant at all times."


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