Friday, July 20, 2007
Try again, fail again, fail better.
I’ll add the UTV report from Ivan Little when it’s online.. and it’s worth watching, not least for the moment when UPRG spokesman Frankie Gallagher corrects the description, carried elsewhere, of those gathered in the non-descript carpark as being members of the UDA Inner Council.. by adding the word “allegedly”. In any event, it’s the second attempt in the same week by Frankie Gallagher to clarify the statement from the UDA about their installation of a new leadership in South East Antrim. And until we hear from that former UDA leadership in South East Antrim I’d suggest the headline here is somewhat premature. Btw, I might have missed it.. but I didn’t see a certain prominent member of the UDA at that selected press conference. [No doubt the NIO had been informed in advance.. again.. - Ed] Adds Regular commenter Loftholdingswood informs me that Jackie McDonald was there. Update Or maybe not.. Added Photo from today’s Irish News report, which correctly describes it as a ‘show of strength’, also names the attendees at the UPRG press conference in the car-park outside Larne.. so you don’t have to. Left to right - Sammy Duddy, Billy McFarlane, Paul Hill, John Bunting, Jackie McDonald and Colin Haliday.
The Irish News report includes quotes from Frankie Gallagher [subs req]
Mr Gallagher denied that the ‘show of strength’ was designed to intimidate or spark a feud with his former colleagues.
“Feuds are not an option, violence is not an option. The UPRG has resounding support from the UDA that the ballot box must be its most powerful weapon.
“The people that came here today were… showing that they are no longer prepared to have their communities turned into ghettoes.”
And who elected them, Frankie? ["most powerful weapon”? but not its only one.. - Ed]
Pete Baker @ 09:59 PM
To Otto
I agree with everything you have written the URPG and the people behind them, except they should not have been shot by the security forces they should have been left to be dealt with by the relatives of those they killed and mutilated. The URPG/UDA will do anything to get their hands on Peter Hain’s promised thousands to boost their coffers. Do they really think people do not see through their charades, obviously not, as they need to keep reminding us they are no longer engaged in extortion , drug dealing and all their other activities. They are parasites to the Unionist community just as the Provo’s are to the Nationalist community although they do not need any money they still have most of the 26 million from the Northern Bank which should see them over the next lot of years. I really do not care who was at the car park they are still the same scum whether there or not.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 09:57 AM“If Loyalist paramilitaries are showing a desire to break out of the criminal mode they should be facilitated just as vigourously as was the case with Republicanism.”
So we should reward cowardly sectarian killers because they pledge to kill no more? I don`t believe that bribing scum like the UDA, or for that matter the IRA, to stop them from following their criminal instincts works in the long run.. I believe that killing them on sight or treating them with utter ruthlessness in the courts would be way more effective in addressing our terrorist problem. Like I said before...the dead of Enniskillen and Greysteel cry out for justice from their graves!
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 10:43 AMspare a thought for poor ihab, this summer he’s going to be mocked and called billy no mates
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 11:00 AMIf anyone works for the NIO it looks like you ‘The Penguin’ with the neatly added ‘two work for the police’ little comment designed to titillate the masses. Care to share who works for who then? or are you just slinging the mud out of frustration?
Any efforts to rid our society of all this type of activity should be welcomed, whoever was there and whoever was not there and whoever tries at least to help move things on.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 11:44 AM‘two work for the police’
Interesting and very informative that out of all the invective unleashed here, those few words rattled you the most.
When I said two, I was being a touch vague. I should have said at least two of the so-called ‘Inner Council’ members there yesterday are agents, though it would be miraculous if that were all. And they have been double-dealers for a very long time.
I have no idea how many among the assembled non-inner council rabble are also agents, but would guess a good few.
Don’t you agree.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 12:22 PMAs I stated last night to you Pete (and it is confirmed by the photograph), Jackie McDonald was in attendance.
As you seem to be so knowledgeable Mr Penguin of all of this I’ll sit back and await your next ‘claim’. So far you are batting 0/2 but please keep going - you will strike lucky at some point.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 01:29 PMlofty
Yes. I wasn’t able to re-view the UTV clip but if he did appear there it was only briefly - hence the confusion.
Anyway. The updated post has the relevant details. And the names.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 01:39 PMHad a good look at the picture recently supplied, above,old men in tight trousers , not good .
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 02:02 PMThe photograph at the top of this article is depicting a meeting between members of a proscribed criminal organization. Why weren’t they arrested ?
Law and order in this country continues to be a pathetic farce. See this article about Magherafelt last night, for example, where police “[appealed] for those who have influence within the community to use that influence”. Don’t the police have influence in the form of the power to arrest and prosecute people who attack them and endanger lives and property ? If it were me I’d have baton charged this crowd and lifted the lot of them. People don’t want to see faceless “community leaders” routinely failing to stop the law being broken; they want to see the law upheld and enforced.
T.Ruth :
Imagine how Unionists feel-at least these folk are not in the government.
Can you explain why unionists keep electing politicians like William McCrea who have in the past been so keen to align themselves with politicians like Billy Wright, then ? Our government minister Nigel Dodds wrote to PSNI Chief Constable to complain when they broke up a UDA rehearsal for a show of strength at a bar in North Belfast. Why did he do that ?
Stop the lies, T.Ruth. Start telling the truth. Secretly you admire these tough guys. You just can’t bring yourself to admit it.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 05:08 PMCS - was that a typo, describing Wright as a politician?
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 05:12 PMComrade Stalin: “The photograph at the top of this article is depicting a meeting between members of a proscribed criminal organization. Why weren’t they arrested ? “
Because the PSNI isn’t even decorative, let alone useful.
As for the rest—just let lofty keep spinning—eventually he’ll run out of momentum and left twisting in the wind by his hoodlum fellows.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 05:21 PMWhy didn’t I become a terrorist? I wonder is it too late to get started? I could do with a bit of money to sort the bathroom out. Oh and the bit about people pandering to every wee sound I make that I might start taking on the behaviour of a half decent human being, would also be quite nice!
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 05:26 PMCruimh, it was indeed a typo. But an interesting typo nonetheless. Dictionary.com defines a politician as “a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.”
Dread, I don’t think Lofty sounds like a bad person. He’s just wrong.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 05:57 PMIt appears that the UDA are making good on their promise to form a new SEA leadership - as rumours coming through the grapevine suggest that rumbles are taking place from Newtownabbey to Carrick, closely monitored by a high in the sky reciprocating helicopter.
Sit back for the fireworks.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 11:15 PMShots fired and things are getting serious.
Posted by on Jul 21, 2007 @ 11:28 PMLeisure-wear Dogs - The Battle for Millions of Public Money Instead of Working.
Coming to streets near you!
Posted by on Jul 22, 2007 @ 12:30 AM“the UDA are cracking down on criminality”
“the DUP cracking down on bigotry”
“the IRA cracking down on violent revolution” etc,etc…
Posted by on Jul 22, 2007 @ 12:57 AMSo it looks like things have esacalted.
“A police officer has been shot during loyalist violence in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, police have said. It is believed the incidents are connected to tensions in the loyalist community in south east Antrim”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6910519.stm
Posted by on Jul 22, 2007 @ 09:16 AMA police officer has been shot during loyalist violence in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, police have said. It is believed the incidents are connected to tensions in the loyalist community in south east Antrim
Lift all the bastards and do them with possession of firearms and membership of a proscribed organization. How hard can it flipping be ?
Posted by on Jul 22, 2007 @ 11:09 AMComrade
It is infuruating. What the hell do you have to do to get arrested?
But no we must pander to them.
Posted by on Jul 22, 2007 @ 11:24 AM“If Loyalist paramilitaries are showing a desire to break out of the criminal mode they should be facilitated just as vigourously as was the case with Republicanism.”
Indeed.
Facilitating the exodus from criminality is cost effective. Some appear to think that the only way to deal with violent paramilitaries is to kill them or jail them. To do ANYTHING else is somehow, moral equivocation.
I think we all need to look at how the killing and jailing options functioned in the past (e.g.: the revitalised “shoot to kill” controversy from 1982) to see what arises from exercising those options. I am in no sense a terrorist supporter or *terrorist enabler* - whatever that means. I simply reflect on how things have been during my lifetime and see how actions - all actions - have repercussions.
Posted by on Jul 22, 2007 @ 11:32 AMThese guys are more like ‘Last of the Summer Wine characters, shouldn’t they be at a Bingo Hall or something!!
Posted by on Jul 22, 2007 @ 05:56 PMComrade Stalin: “Dread, I don’t think Lofty sounds like a bad person. He’s just wrong. “
To be wholly honest, I don’t think he’s a bad person either—being naive is not the worst failing in the world. But, as events have shown, he’s a cheerleader for a group of hoods whose actions have given lie to Lofty’s words.
Posted by on Jul 23, 2007 @ 01:50 PM
