It was for real
The bombs used in the attack upon Stormont were genuine. UPDATE The gun was an imitation (hat tip to observer). From the photographs of the incident at Stormont it looks like a version of the Colt Military Model 1911.
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Debating the Churches’ Role in the Peace in Northern Ireland
This morning’s Sunday Sequence featured a substantial debate (about 35 minutes into the recorded programme) on a new book,Religion, Civil Society and Peace in Northern Ireland (Oxford University Press 2011), written by sociologists John Brewer, Gareth Higgins and Francis Teeney. The debate was framed in an opening vignette by presenter William Crawley in uncompromising terms, [...] read our review » -
The Imperfectionists (Tom Rachman) – an insight into a newspaper that’s maybe not so fictional
‘news’ is often a polite way of saying ‘editor’s whim’ Given the shift from print to online and e-ink, maybe Tom Rachman’s The Imperfectionists was a suitable first first book for me to finish reading on the Kindle. Considering the economic pressures on the newspaper industry, his novel perhaps captures the spirit and soul of [...] read our review »
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“Unionism Decayed 1997-2007″ by David Vance: book review
I initially wrote this when the book was first published three years ago; whilst certain elements of it now sound dated, its basic premise that the period of 1997-2007 was a period of irreversible decay for Northern Irish Unionism can still be argued as a valid opinion. My own feeling is that it did indeed [...] read our review »
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What this does expose is the NI media’s pathetic pathetic pathetic fawning of (ex?) terrorists.
We’ve had this for donkeys years now – most recently remember the Bishop Tutu nonsense with Mr Deep and Meaningful Feargal Keane. Stone played them all brilliantly – he milked every media opportunity he’s ever got and the luvvie media bought it hook line and sinker.
Wonder when they’re going to show the “At Home with Robert Mugabe” 6 part soft focus series where we find out which fucker broke the eagle eyes feature on Robert’s toy Action Man and bit the rubber fingers off.
Even tonight UTV (HOW MUCH plastic surgery has Lynda Bryans had anyway?) were showing a recent interview with Stone talking about his regrets blah blah blah.
THESE PEOPLE ARE EFFING MURDERERS!!! MOWLAM CALLED STONE “AN UNSUNG HERO OF THE PEACE PROCESS”!!!!
And then Adams with his harem of Mary Lou and Catriona et al outside Stormont doing a press conference saying “My God there was an armed man in there” – LIKE YOU’VE NEVER FUCKING SEEN ONE OF THEM BEFORE??!!!
CAN SOMEBODY GET THE EMPEROR SOME CLOTHES??!!
I’m off to bed. Maybe tomorrow will be better… no hang on, I need to phone Pobal to get my street name translated into Gaeilge so I’m ready for when the Irish Language Act comes in.
Perhaps this event may afford General de Chastelain the right to end his role in the charade the Decommissioning Commission has become. It is clear that loyalism will remain armed and that no effective pressure will be brought to bear on them.
Maybe he could just pull a sickie after Christmas.
Yesterdays events were a smoke screen. Stone’s actions were those of a psychopath unable to adjust to life in a normalised society. Yesterdays big story was Ian Paisley accepting power sharing with Sinn Fein (with conditions). Who would have guessed it?
“What this does expose is the NI media’s pathetic pathetic pathetic fawning of (ex?) terrorists. ”
absolutley!
What isn’t clear is whether Stone was pitching for absolute consolidation in the Loyalist Murder Hall of Fame or whether he was auditioning for a Woody Allen film. Charlize Theron and George Clooney are rumored to have already signed up to play the heroic doorkeepers and provide the love interest while Woody will direct and play Peter Robinson.
ffs,
you may not think it was attempted murder but that’s exactly what Stone has just been charged with.
In your view, the man is innocent of these charges?
LETS FACE IT HE,S A BUNGLING ASSASIN,WHO WAS BROUGHT TO HIS KNEES AND BEAT AROUND THE HEAD(WITH HIS OWN GUN) BY UN ARMED USHERS.HE COULD NT EVEN FINISH THE SLOGAN HE WAS WRITING OUTSIDE.AT LEAST HE HAD THE DECENCY TO GET RID OF THE MULLET. HE NOW LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE THREE STOOGIES
Well very clearly the man is guilty beyond any doubt of attempted murder. I don’t think anyone is trying to claim otherwise.
What is more interesting than the immediately obvious is the question why he did it. Again obviously he is a physco but the general thoughts within loyalism was in support of the Assembly and who did his actions benefit?
I think there is much more to it than the bland “He is guilty of attempted murder”. Thats obvious, whats not is the sequence of events that led him to do it.
Apparently Stone was wielding an imitation firearm and is facing five charges of attempted murder.
The Guardian has the story here.
“In your view, the man is innocent of these charges?”
Im my view, the man must be presumed innocent until he has had due legal process.
I note that I was correct about the gun being a fake.
With any luck he will be sectioned.
Stone has been found guilty of serious crimes and will probably stand trial for more crimes.Some mlas inside the chamber have committed murder or attemted murder——–so what’s the difference.
I agree with the comments about the security staff. There’s no way they could have known whether the devices Stone had were dangerous, or whether the gun he was carrying was real. The police have described the devices as “amateur” but, critically, they did not describe them as hoaxes – which surely means that they were probably intended to do damage of not kill, and if not for the incompetence of the person who built them, probably would have succeeded.
I see the police are saying that Stone is being charged with the attempted murder of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. Since the police cannot have known who the targets really were, I suspect stone has written a statement declaring that the death of these two men was his intention.
I ain’t a psychologist, but I suspect Stone has a severe case of narcissistic personality disorder – there is a clear pattern to his behaviour, launching these huge, disorganized stunts which he likely believes win him kudos amongst the loyalist community. The man loves publicity, has several books out and the effing Sunday World is constantly asking him for his hard-man views which undoubtedly only makes things worse.
This deranged, dangerous maniac should not be in jail but in a mental asylum.
‘Im my view, the man must be presumed innocent until he has had due legal process.’
very noble and quite right too ffs.
However I understand that the bombs were viable devices consisting of petrol,gas and exposive substances.-not to mention the knives ets.
As this man had considerable previous form, it is evident that he was quite willing and capable of committing further murders if he had gained access to the main hall.
I wonder how senior Belfast Orangeman Billy Mawhinney would have reacted to Stone, had he been on the door at Stormont yesterday ?
Mawhinney was suspended from his job as a Stormont doorman when he said that the uvf & uda were an integral part of the unionist community and were the protectors of the protestant people.
If the likes of Mawhinney are still employed at Stormont then there is a security problem.
Rubicon,
I have never been to Stormont, but even I know that it is not straightforward to gain access, security is present and you need ID etc. It it highly unusual that anyone can get in who shouldn’t – let alone, probably one of this country’s most infamous terrorists. Not only this he was able to daub grafitti on it’s walls and try to get in with a gun and pipe bombs.
There are too many people in Northern Ireland who do not like the likes of Gerry Adams, and plenty of people who would never want to see them in power. Somebody in an official capacity co-operated with Stone to get him that far – who that was remains to be seen. That it my opinion, like it or lump it! I do not understand why you are so offended by this view, it is commonsense!
English
You really need to have a better understanding of the Stormont Estate to make the assumption that the security would prove a dterrent as opposed to a recording mechansim.
There are 3 entrances to Stormont on Massey Avenue, Stoney Road and N’ards Road. There are security stands at each of these and cars are stopped on entry and a valid reason for entry is given. Pedestrian entry is not restricted at all.
In addition to Parliament buidlings, there are at least 6 departments on site with thousands of civil servants on site. Although there are no public offices per se, ie jobs and benefits, agencies like the Department of Agriculture often have members of the public in attendance.
Finally, there are the playing grounds and sports pavillion on the site, open to all members.
So you idea that this is a secure area is a non runner, and the conspiracy theories surrounding this idea are non starters.
Security could probably be increased, but I assume that would entail a severe curtailment on pedestrian access as well buidling some barriers between Stormont Castle and the lower part of the estate.
In my own opinion, the fact that Stone did not gain access shows that the internal security was adequate. However, in the time it took to spray paint the buidling, it would have been possible to position explosive devices undetected. Perhaps a permanent outside presence on the building perimeter, or indeed CCTV with monitoring is now what is required.
English – from Miss Fitz reply you may get a better picture of the security situation surrounding Parliament Buildings. It is perfectly possible for Stone to have walked in to the estate without being checked – 100’s do each day walking their dogs or just to take a stroll. Stone himself has been interviewed by his media buddies within the Stormont grounds.
As for your suspicion that he’d an official collaborator – at what point would this collaboration have occurred? Assembly security begins at the doors to the building – the point where Stone was stopped.
No doubt security will be strengthened after this. I think CCTV is already in place and the building regularly patrolled. Whatever those changes are, I hope they don’t distance the people from their legislature where differences are to be debated and resolved peacefully. Perhaps Stone reminded a few MLAs of the bad old days and the pressing need to make their chamber work.
I take your points on board – it just seems backwards to me that this sort of thing would be allowed to happen on such a big day (indeed any day) at Stormont. It wouldn’t happen at Westminster I imagine!
Yeah but Westminster is an entirely different set up. This is a huge site with multiple departments and agencies in dozens of buildings. Stormont Castle is a different building to Parliament Buidlings and has a very different security arrangement. There is no way to access the castle without prior permission. Paliament Buildings have a fascinating history and if you ever come over you should take advatnage of the guided tour of the buidlings.
Last week I was privileged to be invited to a cross-community attended Ba’hai devotional service in Stormont. Eileen Bell was making the point on that occasion that she wanted the buidlings to be as public and accesible as possible, but i think we may be reversing that trend pretty soon. Its a shame that ‘lunatics’ such as Stone destroy this ability for people to access their parliament
English, you can get a f*cking bus into Stormont.
There was no conspiracy. Wise, as we say, up.