Terrorism
Court lifts reporting restrictions on identities of Provisional IRA accused
Tweet The BBC reports that, following a legal challenge by the corporation, district judge Fiona Bagnall has lifted court orders prohibiting the media from reporting either the identities or addresses of five defendants who are accused of Provisional IRA activity in 1999 and 2000. As previously noted All five are charged with belonging to a proscribed organisation [...] more »
“The terrorist constituency [are] the people we’ve got to reach out to..”
Tweet I found this slightly unsettling at first, but it gets more interesting as it goes on. Jason McCue’s performance at TED (which is what most TEDs have to be, tbh) is not the most sure and verges, at times, on the tricksy… But there is some very interesting content, not least the claim that [...] more »
“Getting righteously offended has become something of a hobby over the last few decades…”
Tweet The ‘outraged supernaturalists‘ narrative may already be wearing a bit thin in Libya, and further afield. But, taking that narrative at face value, there may be some points being made that are applicable closer to home. From Saturday’s Irish Times Getting righteously offended has become something of a hobby over the last few decades. [...] more »
Dolours Price “fresh interviews” on Adams contradicts Ed Moloney – Sunday Telegraph
Tweet ”A convicted IRA bomber (Dolours Price) claimed that Adams had sanctioned a series of attacks on London in 1972, including the bombing of the Old Bailey, which killed one man and injured 200 more, according to the Telegraph. Price has given a fresh series of interviews in which she makes claims about Adams, which [...] more »
“In these regretful circumstances I offer no evidence in this case against the accused…”
Tweet In a short report on the collapse of the trial of a 20-year-old man charged with the murder of Emmet Shiels in Londonderry in June 2008, the BBC notes Emmet Shiels’ murder shocked the city, and brought a thousand people onto the streets in condemnation. Along with editorials and a controversial petition, too… The trial collapsed when [...] more »
The day the western world stood still… 11th September 2001
Tweet On the day… Tomorrow is the eleventh anniversary of 9/11. I still remember my own experience of those events clearly. It was just after lunchtime in the River Path offices. All of us were in the large open plan area, heads bent over our glass topped desks and absorbed in a dozen different tasks. [...] more »
Charges re-instated against Marian Price and others
Tweet The BBC reports that the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) have re-instated charges against Marian Price and three Londonderry men in relation to a 32 County Sovereignty Movement Easter Monday parade in the city in 2011. Among those being charged again is Marvin Canning – the 50-year-old brother-in-law of Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness. [...] more »
“It’s up to the prosecution to make the case why it should no longer exist.”
Tweet The BBC have an interesting update on the reporting restrictions, specifically court orders prohibiting the media from reporting either the identities or addresses of the defendants, in the case of “three men and two women – some of them senior republicans – who are accused of PIRA activity”. From the BBC report All five are [...] more »
“It is as if someone is trying to hide the sun with two fingers.”
Tweet Another ‘lesson’ from the Northern Ireland Process, being implemented in a more systematic manner elsewhere… Afghanistan’s government is rewriting history, literally. The education ministry has endorsed a new history curriculum for school students that deletes nearly four decades of the country’s war-torn past. The government says textbooks based on the new curriculum will help [...] more »
“court orders prohibit the media from reporting either the identities or addresses of the defendants…”
Tweet In the News Letter Sam McBride has some extra detail to an interesting story, for a number of reasons, that was initially reported in the Irish News earlier in the week. From the News Letter report RARE reporting restrictions which bar the media from identifying five people charged with Provisional IRA membership have caused concern [...] more »
“We seem to have adjusted to peace by means of mass medication…”
Tweet Some contrasting reports to note on health and well-being in Northern Ireland. We knew in February this year that “the people of Northern Ireland are the happiest in the United Kingdom”. That’s by their own subjective assessment, of course. And a more detailed breakdown of the data suggests you might feel even happier living in some areas [...] more »
“There was contact with senior PSNI personnel explaining whose home it was…”
Tweet More difficulties with “due process” for Sinn Féin. This time it’s in Londonderry, where the mayor of the city, Sinn Féin councillor Kevin Campbell, has had his home searched by police and laptops and mobile phones taken away. The BBC report quotes SF MLA Raymond McCartney. Sinn Fein have described the raid as “inexplicable” [...] more »
“the learned judge who granted bail [] did not have the power to do so in the particular circumstances of this case”
Tweet Despite earlier reports that the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, had ordered Martin Corey’s re-arrest following the judicial review ruling for unconditional bail in the case, it appears he merely sought a stay while an appeal was prepared. The Belfast Telegraph notes the Appeal Court’s initial ruling A judge who granted unconditional bail [...] more »
NI Secretary of State blocks Martin Corey release
Tweet Sinn Féin’s Raymond McCartney, deputy chair of the Assembly’s Justice Committee [and noted plagiarist! - Ed], may have welcomed today’s Belfast court ruling that the Parole Commissioners had breached former Provisional IRA member Martin Corey’s human rights in refusing to release him, and ordering his release on unconditional bail. But the Guardian reports that Northern Ireland Secretary of [...] more »
Boston College: “No pledge of privacy nor oath of secrecy can avail against demand for the truth in a court of justice.”
Tweet The Boston Globe reports on the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruling in the PSNI/HET’s attempt to access some of the material in the Boston College Belfast Project archive. The project director, Ed Moloney, and researcher Anthony McIntyre had been trying to head the US Government off at the pass. And they’ve already opened [...] more »
McGeough’s Royal Prerogative of Mercy bid dismissed
Tweet Gerry McGeough may have had “formidable references from the very highest echelons of our society“, but they weren’t formidable enough. The BBC report that the Court of Appeal has dismissed his bid to be granted a Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM). [Gerry McGeough] claimed it was unlawful to treat him differently to others because he [...] more »
“Those at the heart of the Sinn Fein machine know all of this to be true.”
Tweet Where Mick treads softly [always stepping on someone's dreams! - Ed], Alex Kane rips the PR plaster off. [Mixed metaphors much? - Ed] ANYhoo… from the News Letter article Let’s be blunt about this: Martin McGuinness didn’t join the IRA and become the de facto commander-in-chief of the army council just to end up at [...] more »
“The Facebook campaign is one tactic…”
Tweet In response to the anarchy in Londonderry, and elsewhere, the PSNI have launched a Facebook campaign… Police are urging young people from all communities to help drive the figures down even further with help from social media. “The Facebook campaign is one tactic designed specifically to reach out to those over 16 who may [...] more »
“Sinn Féin in my opinion has been slowly sedated…”
Tweet In light of Mick’s post, and now Brian’s follow-up, it’s worth noting an Irish News report today of Ballymoney Councillor Anita Cavlan’s resignation from Sinn Féin ”over concerns it is failing prisoners”. From the Irish News report The Ballymoney councillor said she believed Sinn Féin had “lost direction” and “should be doing more to represent the prisoners”. “Sinn [...] more »
“I don’t think this generation is any different than the last…”
Tweet The Guardian’s Henry McDonald reports from anarchic Londonderry on the continuing activities of vigilante group, Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD). Watch the accompanying video report here. From the Guardian report Some RAAD members are ex-Provisionals who back the peace process but still take up the gun against members of their own communities accused of antisocial [...] more »