Sunday, March 16, 2008
“So he would be very well known..”
The 51-year-old man left critically ill after being attacked at his home yesterday evening was later named as a former Provisional IRA prisoner who, according to one report [not online], was convicted of a bomb attack on a bar. According to various reports, Frank McGreevey was assaulted at his home in Ross Street shortly after 1830 GMT on Saturday by at least two men. The Chairman of the Falls Road Residents’ Association, Robert McClenaghan, said “He is a former prisoner who served a life sentence. So he would be very well known.” The BBC report also notes Update It’s now a murder inquiry. And One man has been charged.
Police are treating the incident as attempted murder. A 20-year-old man is being questioned by police. Acting Detective Superintendent Jeff Smyth said they were following a definite line of inquiry.
...
“As such last evening in the middle of the night, members of the PSNI, under my direction, searched a number of houses in this community looking for a suspect,” he said. Detectives later said the 20-year-old man had handed himself in at Grosvenor Road police station.
And the RTÉ report has this
Local Sinn Fein Councillor, Tom Hartley, says residents of the area had phoned the police about some of the parties involved in the incident and they were unhappy about the slow response.
Pete Baker @ 09:51 PM
Sorry - ‘attempted murder’. Only Slugger has killed anything - the real story.
Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 10:37 PMPete, I’m prepared to give you the benefit of the dobut on this because of a total lack of understanding.
The facts are a fella is on a life support machine because he dared to stand up to a gang of hoods (one of whom had been on the run from jail for two weeks). That is the only reason why he was beaten, almost to death. His background, and previous convictions have no bearing on the incident.
What is the difference between this attack and that on Maurice McCracken, or murder of Harry Holland? Because it seems to me that in your eyes there is a clear heirarchy of victims, depending on what estate they happened to be born into.Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 10:41 PMI want to see the thugs that murdered Robert McCartnet (and the ones who help cover it up) get the justice they deserve. I have NO FAITH that will happen in the courts of the north. I have NO FAITH in the PSNI to put them away. IT IS TAINTED BY POLITICS.
I want to see the thugs that brutally attacked Frank McGreevey get the justice they deserve. I HAVE NO FAITH they will get it in the courts of the north especially given that THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN THRU THAT SYSTEM AND ESCAPED FROM IT, only to perpetrate the horrific attacks (YES PLURAL) of this weekend. I have NO FAITH in the PSNI to put them away. IT IS TAINTED, by politics or incompetence, who knows?
And for those who think that there’s some sort of political line to be drawn over justice and some victims are better than others or some criminals are better than others - you make me sick.
Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 10:48 PMSo I have been issued with traffic tickets in the past....
will this be any justification if I have the misfortune to be assaulted by for example, someone with roadrage!!!!
NO.
Unless I`m Republican!
Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 11:00 PMMark
If your problem is with those who filled in blanks in the narrative, then address your complaints to those who did.
So far the majority of blank-fillers is with those who think that, “Because it seems to me that in your eyes there is a clear heirarchy of victims, depending on what estate they happened to be born into.”
I’ll post this link again, please read it.
Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 11:10 PMPete, WTF those that have to do with anything?
You had a go at the victim here because he happened to be an ex-republican prisoner. This never would have happened with the case of Maurice McCracken, who comes from the Malone Road and who exactly the same thing happened to (beaten to within a inch of his life by a scumbag hood for no reason).
You have proven yourself to be either a snob or a bigot, I’ll leave it up to everyone else to decide.Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 11:16 PM“You had a go at the victim here because he happened to be an ex-republican prisoner.”
Presumably you mean in the same that Robert McClenaghan did.
“You have proven yourself to be either a snob or a bigot..”
Ah, choices, choices..
Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 11:21 PMWhen blogs go wrong…
Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 11:36 PMPete,
Keep up the good work and ignore the above remarks. You have simulated a good debate - though perhaps it has now strayed off topic. As this is a political website details you would be remiss if not reporting all the facts.
Agh,
If a person in Non Iron is attacked - one of the first questions that go through peoples minds is whether he is a catholic or a protestant. The religion of the person is often reported in the media - this does not mean that the person DESERVED to be attacked because of his religion but rather that it might be a factor in explaining why. Similarly with the above case.
whether his background was a factor in the attack remains to be seen.Think about it.
Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 11:54 PMThere’s nothing like a great big internet shitstorm.
Posted by on Mar 17, 2008 @ 11:58 PMBefore this thread is closed, I’m curious about one remark made by Mick. He says this thread had the potential for a good discussion of the story, rather than ad hominem attacks.
Given the spin put on the story by the original blogger - what other path were we meant to take?
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 08:25 AMObviously there is an organised attempt to hound Baker off this site. As a long time reader of this site I can remember the Sinn Fein blogger team doing the same to Shilliday and I guess if you get Pete you guys will move on to Turgon.
I honestly think that the guys provo past might be a red herring. The kinds of animal that hang around street corners care nought for politics or the past. Religion means little to them other an an excuse to riot when the silly season starts.
I do question Republican attitudes to policing, why do they expect a level of service that no other part of the UK sees? If the PSNI patrol the area and attempt to tackle crime they are called in to question for being “Heavy Handed” yet when they do any less they are accused of leaving an area to rot. The cops can’t win either way.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 09:40 AMMuad’Dib,
red herring or not, and it does NOW look like that, it was correctly included.
Although republican light ( was never too keen on the killing bit ) myself if this place is dominated by poeple launching apparently politically organised attacks from whatever source (effectively censorship by public abuse )then I’m sure many others like me will feck off elsewhere.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 01:10 PM“effectively censorship by public abuse “
Hmmm...wouldn’t be the first time.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 01:37 PMI do question Republican attitudes to policing, why do they expect a level of service that no other part of the UK sees? If the PSNI patrol the area and attempt to tackle crime they are called in to question for being “Heavy Handed” yet when they do any less they are accused of leaving an area to rot. The cops can’t win either way.
Posted by Muad’Dib on Mar 18, 2008 @ 09:40 AM
Because they were promissed a level of service that would be better than what they had, clearly a bald faced lie.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 03:07 PMWell Steve welcome to the life in the modern United Kingdom, it sucked but it’s no better any where else. Show me a country where the citizens are happy with the cops.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 04:55 PMHeard elsewhere that his life support machine has been turned off and that his family have donated his organs.
Candle lit vigil at Ross Road(facing the Falls Swim Centre) at 7.30 tonight.
Slan go foill,Proinsias RIP
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 05:04 PMSo when someone points out the obvious, the despicable assertion by baker that in some way this man (now dead) deserved what he got because of his Republican past.....
its now a conspiracy…
My condolences to the family of this innocent man.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 06:37 PMHe’s been brain dead since yesterday.
I’m very sorry to hear it.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 06:44 PMMuad’Dib, maybe Steve means the police are still eating babies.
But yes, welcome to normalization, the crime clear-up rate is typically abysmal.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 06:44 PMDesperately sad news about Bap who lost his life trying to better his community.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 07:43 PMWe in Canada are pretty happy with our police. Though we actually have a world class police force instead of just claiming to have one
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 07:44 PMI really think that this thread should be closed following the sad news of Mr McGreevy’s death. I find it disgusting that Pete Baker stooped so low in his tawdry insinuations whilst this man was losing his fight for life, after being bludgeoned over 60 times by a notorious hood.
This murder is truly a sorry indictment on our society and it ill-behoves Slugger to plummet new depths akin to the worst excesses of the tabloid media.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 07:58 PMMurder probe as attacked man dies
“So he would be very well known.”
Pete, I don’t see why you headlined McClenaghan’s throw away remark rather than focus on the brutal attack.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 08:06 PMAustin,
the pople who have plumbed new depths are those that focussed on the reasonable presentation of facts - the tabloid lines came from those attacking Pete Baker - this has caused the distraction from the main issue - and seemed to be an attempt to make a narrow political point. The main isssue being that there has been a tragic loss of life as a result of an unprovoked attack on an innocenct man.
Posted by on Mar 18, 2008 @ 08:33 PM
