Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Over fifty attacks on SDLP members in three years
One minor story from a couple of days ago. News of a device attached to the bottom of West Tyrone MLA Eugene McMenamin’s car came in a press release from the SDLP. Attached to the bottom was the promise of a log of over 50 such incidents that have taken place in the past two to three years.
Here’s some of the most notable incidents in the last year or so:
· West Belfast: three hoax bombs and one letter bomb (to Policing Board HQ)
· South Belfast: attacks on homes of Carmel Hanna MLA and Cllr Pat McCarthy, one hoax bomb at party office
· Strabane: Numerous attacks on the home of Eugene McMenamin MLA following earlier destruction of cars and damage to house by blast bombs. Cllrs Bell and McBride also attacked. Regular death threats. Wreaths sent to three SDLP members of DPP
· Craigavon: Systematic series of threats to SDLP members of DPP. Nov 04 police say active threats to Craigavon and Armagh DPP members from Real IRA
· Antrim: Cllr Donovan McClelland threatened in public in council building.
· Newry and Mourne: Four councillors recently received bullets in the post
· Derry: Five attacks on home of Pat Ramsey MLA, two on home of DPP member Marian Quinn, two on the home of Mayor Sean Gallagher, and Cllr Sean Carr was assaulted. There are ongoing threats to DPP members and others.
Most of the attacks are currently beleived to have originated with various dissident Republican groups.
