“it will only come when rigorous law enforcement takes place..”
A report on the special remembrance service to mark the 20th anniversary of the Provisional IRA attack in Enniskillen, which killed 12 people and injured 63, notes the comments of the Methodist minister, Rev Kenneth Robinson
Methodist minister Rev Kenneth Robinson said he wanted the bombers to “remember the pain they inflicted”. He said he hoped they would come to a moment where they would admit what they had done and face the consequences.
If the previously noted speculation is right, that may be the only way anyone does face the consequences of what they have done here. Perhaps Ian Paisley had that thought in mind when he gave his response to the attempted murder of a police officer in Londonderry this morning. Speaking in the House of Commons today, Rev Paisley said
“I am suffering great fears as far as my province is concerned at the present time. It is not for me to say who is responsible for this but I am told on good authority that the IRA dissidents are definitely under the shadow on this particular crime. If that is so we could be going back to things we thought we had finally conquered.”Mr Paisley added: “I am sure that we will be able to get the victory but it will only come when rigorous law enforcement takes place and those who do these deeds know that they can`t do it and get away with.”
Good God! Is it that time of year already? I really must get started on the Christmas shopping.
Barneyben….A law abiding man has been shot!
If you couldn’t give a flying F*** why don’t you write just that?
Don’t bother replying, I’m not interested in your opinion or comments.
For the police anywhere to be truly effective, they need a citizenry who will help them by giving information.That has been problematic in the past in N.I.since they were not trusted by a large number of people and others were just too afraid to do the right thing.
Hopefully that problem of non-cooperation will diminish as time passes.
I wonder who actually is responsible… Its too premeditated to be a random attack, and to warrant that kind of attention this police officer clearly annoyed someone pretty badly. Paisley saying that he was “told on good authority that IRA dissidents are definitely under the shadow on this particular crime” doesn’t exactly constitute as evidence and he’s always quick to point to the IRA. Hmmm…
Luc – he’s a Catholic from the Bogside – might be relevant in targetting.
A Catholic *policeman* from the bogside I think does it. But besides that I think there’s something else in it…I’ve no evidence, its just when i read the report my first thought was “there’s something more to this.”, that’s all.
“I am suffering great fears as far as my province is concerned at the present time.
but if we trust in our great leader he will surely lead us and his province through this valley of darkness. and then he shall smile his blessing down upon us, and we shall sup and be merry. god preserve him and his province.
Harry–
God I hope that was a sarcastic comment.
oh it was.
wew! I was almost shuddering with revulsion at first…lol.
Luciana,
“Its too premeditated to be a random attack, and to warrant that kind of attention this police officer clearly annoyed someone pretty badly.”
Well the kind of attention which this police officer recieved and thankfully survived was pretty common. 302 is the number of police officers murdered to my memory. I think this man being a police officer would be enough “justification” for some.
Turgon–
I know the numbers and all and I know that is justification enough for some. Its just the particular fashion of the attack and that unverifiable feeling I got reading the report is nagging me for some reason…just a suspicion that’s all.
Luciana,
There are still those in Northern Ireland who think killing policemen is a good idea. I also suspect that them killing a Roman Catholic policeman who lives in the Bogside would be seen as a good idea to intimidate other RC police officers. The IRA were always very keen to murder RC police officers.
Thankfully this man survived.
To ensure this doesn’t happen again maybe the perpetrators of this act should be offered a seat in Storment.
to warrant that kind of attention this police officer clearly annoyed someone pretty badly
What, you mean other than being a soft target?
Posted by joeCanuck on Nov 08, 2007 @ 08:19 PM
>others were just too afraid to do the right thing.
>Hopefully that problem of non-cooperation will diminish as time passes.
It’s very scary to inform on these guys. I hope those who know something about this can find the strength to tell the police everything and I especially hope they can be protected afterwards. Remember, these people drove Pat Ramsey from his home against the wishes of all his neighbours. Those who are prepared to use extreme violence to cow their neighbours don’t need to be numerous to get their way. I hope this works out, as if they get away with this, we are on a slippery slope.
I see Turged is rounding up the mob and lighting the torches again
“The IRA were always very keen to murder RC police officers”
i agree Turgon, at the same time though the RUC were always very kneen to murder civilians (mostly catholics)..
war is a 2 way traffic to me
hope the man gets better soon!
Might there be a strategic link between this shooting and the burning of Orange halls?
Briso, the paramilitary godfathers still hold sway in many communities and the (further) closure of police stations and the related diminution of the policing service is unlikely to improve matters. Perhaps the Policing Board needs to wake up and smell the coffee – or whatever they’re having themselves.
>Posted by Nevin on Nov 09, 2007 @ 08:27 AM
>Might there be a strategic link between this shooting and the burning of Orange halls?
Yes, I’m convinced of it. It’s also linked to the attack on the SF office in Creggan.
>Briso, the paramilitary godfathers still hold sway in many communities
I actually think in this case it’s a small number of old-timers playing a long game with a quite large number of disaffected youngsters.
>and the (further) closure of police stations and
>the related diminution of the policing service
>is unlikely to improve matters. Perhaps the
>Policing Board needs to wake up and smell the
>coffee – or whatever they’re having themselves.
I’d love to see them open a station in the Bogside and tackle this problem head on. The time is now, not when all these sixteen year olds are twenty-one.
Briso, I also think some of these events need to be seen in the context of 2016. I wonder if there are any strategic thinkers on the Policing Board; people who know about local histories and the dangers of sleep-walking into the future.
“I am suffering great fears as far as my province is concerned at the present time.”
I wasn’t aware NI was the exlcusive property of Big Ian
francesco
“the RUC were always very kneen to murder civilians (mostly catholics)..
war is a 2 way traffic to me”
Of course they were- keep taking the pills.
BTW A squalid and genocidal murder campaign does not a war make.
Luciana
if you have something to say about motive in this case spit it out- preferably without a smiley tag at the end.
Gerry Kelly for justice minister?
Sluggerites, if you’re furious drivers you might want to express an opinion about the draft Criminal Justice Order ..
>Posted by Nevin on Nov 09, 2007 @ 09:57 AM
>Briso, I also think some of these events need to be seen in the context of 2016.
What do you mean Nevin?
>I wonder if there are any strategic thinkers on the Policing Board; people who know about local
>histories and the dangers of sleep-walking into the future.
I hope so.
2016 is a key date for nationalists, in general, and republicans, in particular.
I think the lead up to 1966 played a significant part in fomenting what became known as the Troubles. IIRC police stations were being closed and the state’s ability to cope with republican commemoration/’rights issues’ and Paisleyite reaction was very inadequate.
If you look at policing trends you can see a ‘centralisation’ of resources rather than the ‘old-fashioned’ community policing of the 60s and earlier.
As I’ve said earlier, police officers had their finger on the pulse of local communities and their hand on the shoulder of local miscreants. Drive-by policing is no substitute.
Are “francesco” and “Luciana” one and the same peep?
Seems that way to me….
BonarLaw
There’s no need to be a prat, I really meant what I said, I’ve no idea what the back motive may have been. I see there are some theories flying about and I was curious as to what you all thought.
After hearing what everyone’s said I’m now wondering if the RUC has in the previous days done anything in the bogside to illicit some sort of revenge attack?
Also, who were you accusing of participating in a “squalid and genocidal murder campaign”?
Dawkins–
No I’m not francesco. I’ve no idea how to prove it to you, but there it is.
Mr Paisley added: “I am sure that we will be able to get the victory but it will only come when rigorous law enforcement takes place and those who do these deeds know that they can`t do it and get away with.â€
Balderdash the people who did this will get away with it as their counterparts in the provisional movement have and continue to get away with their crimes.
Paisley is setting a poor example its not long ago that Marty encouraged the shooting of police personnel and perhaps participated in it.