Provisional IRA – Page 5 – Slugger O'Toole

Dublin High Court grants CAB €600,000 judgement against convicted Provisional IRA man

Pete Baker on March 12, 2013, 5:13 pm

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Back in 2010, in an update on convictions resulting from Operation Phoenix – “Northern Bank robbery – redux” – I noted. Then-30-year-old Don Bullman was arrested at Heuston Station in Dublin in February 2005 with a red Daz washing powder box containing more than €94,000. Bullman was described in the 2005 report noted earlier as “a chef and fundraiser for Sinn Féin”. He was eventually charged with membership of the IRA. Two men from Londonderry arrested with Bullman were released without charge at the time. In March …

ECNI: “where it believes that a public authority may have failed to comply with its approved Equality Scheme…”

Pete Baker on March 7, 2013, 2:37 pm

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As UTV note, the Equality Commission For Northern Ireland have announced that they are “to conduct an investigation into a decision made by Newry and Mourne District council to retain the name “The Raymond McCreesh Park” for a Council-owned play park in Newry.” Here’s Mick’s post on that decision in December last year. From the Equality Commission press release The investigation will consider whether, in making its decision, the Council has failed to comply with commitments made in its Equality …

The political vacuum is compromising the standing of the PSNI

Brian Walker on March 5, 2013, 12:42 pm

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When criticism is made from both directions it’s often said that the subject of the criticism must be doing something right. I suspect that’s what Matt Baggott is thinking now over the rows about recent arrests on both sides of the divide. There is an alternative view of course; he may be getting it wrong across the board. Either way a small storm of whataboutery is blowing. It must not get out of hand. Willie Frazer is a hero to …

“after some people made it clear they were not prepared to make witness statements to investigating officers”

Pete Baker on February 15, 2013, 1:03 am

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An Irish Times hosted PA report adds some interesting detail to the story of the arrest, questioning, and subsequent unconditional release – after being in custody for 36 hours – of Shankill bomber Sean Kelly following the apparent punishment shooting of an 18-year-old in Ardoyne. From the Irish Times report It is understood detectives had been granted an extension to keep [Sean Kelly] in custody for a further period, but then released him after some people made it clear they were not prepared …

Police Ombudsman to re-investigate misconduct allegations in Denis Donaldson case

Pete Baker on January 30, 2013, 10:34 pm

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As far as I can tell, an inquest has yet to be held into the death of former senior Sinn Féin member, and informer, Denis Donaldson in 2006 – responsibility for which was claimed by the Real IRA. But, despite a previous NI Police Ombudsman‘s finding that there had been no police misconduct here, the new incumbent has reportedly launched a new investigation into allegations that police officers may have contributed to the death of Denis Donaldson. BBC NI home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney …

Peter Hain: “I took some risky decisions to engage with people who were on the fringes…”

Pete Baker on January 13, 2013, 4:56 pm

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The BBC reports more self-aggrandisement disguised as political comment from the erstwhile Secretary of State for Wales, etc, Peter Hain. From the BBC report “In Northern Ireland, I think there is a particular issue with the loyalist community and I do not think the government is doing enough to engage with them,” [Peter Hain] said. “I took some risky decisions to engage with people who were on the fringes and some actually almost in uniform as it were, in paramilitary …

“At the time Sinn Féin condemned the arrest and subsequent charges and pointed to a political motivation behind the entire episode…”

Pete Baker on January 9, 2013, 7:08 pm

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The BBC reports that the long running saga of the charges against “prominent Co Tyrone republican” Brian Arthurs, who was named in this 2005 Times report as a member of the PIRA army council, and his wife, Paula Anne, has ended with guilty pleas to “three charges of obtaining a money transfer by deception and two counts of possessing £31,718 worth of criminal property”. The couple from Finulagh Road, Castlecaulfield, had been due to stand trial at Belfast Crown Court. But they …

The PSNI investigation into Bloody Sunday is mistaken. Try them for perjury

Brian Walker on December 21, 2012, 11:16 pm

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Many people will say that if ever there was a suitable case for prosecution, it’s Bloody Sunday when paratroop soldiers shot 14 people before the eyes of many of us around at time. But challenged on whether I approve of the opening of a police inquiry into Bloody Sunday that will take four years , I’ve decided to come clean and say I think it’s fundamentally mistaken. How disillusioning is this development for the many who deceived themselves when they thought closure had been …

“The court heard that the device had contained 200g of Semtex plastic explosive…”

Pete Baker on December 11, 2012, 11:58 pm

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Depressingly familiar scenes both outside and inside Bishop Street courthouse in Londonderry on Monday as three men, including a brother-in-law of SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey, appeared on terrorism charges after their arrest on Thursday last week. From the UTV report Appearing in the dock, all three men refused to recognise the court. And from the Irish Times report Dozens of relatives and friends of the co-defendants crowded into the Bishop Street courthouse for the hearing. More than a dozen police …

“But today, identity seems more central to politics than ever before.”

Pete Baker on November 22, 2012, 5:17 pm

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Brian’s noting of the advice from Richard Haass to the Israeli government reminded me that there are other places, and administrations, who have received similar ‘lessons’ from The Process™ here. Afghanistan, for example. Of course, it always helps to have well-placed friends [writing your speeches! – Ed]. And it’s worth noting that Richard Haass’ role here was not without criticism… His successor, Mitchel Reiss, has been more forthright in his recounting at times. ANYhoo… There’s also Iraq. Where the BBC now reports Almost every …

McGuinness: “We can’t have a half-baked approach…”

Pete Baker on November 4, 2012, 12:12 pm

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Whilst the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, has been urging co-operation with the police investigation of the murder of David Black, his party colleague Gerry Kelly has complained of “politically motivated” charges against Padraic Wilson – relating to the aftermath of the 2005 murder of Robert McCartney. From the UTV report Sinn Féin MLAs Gerry Kelly and Sue Ramsey were among party members in the public gallery during the court case. Mr Kelly has demanded the immediate …

Court lifts reporting restrictions on identities of Provisional IRA accused

Pete Baker on October 11, 2012, 9:12 pm

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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 on dates stretching back to 1999. Four of them are accused of arranging, addressing or assisting in the management of a PIRA meeting on named dates …

“It’s up to the prosecution to make the case why it should no longer exist.”

Pete Baker on August 30, 2012, 6:03 pm

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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 charged with belonging to a proscribed organisation on dates stretching back to 1999. Four of them are accused of arranging, addressing or assisting in the management …

“court orders prohibit the media from reporting either the identities or addresses of the defendants…”

Pete Baker on August 16, 2012, 8:01 pm

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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 to an MLA. The charges, which have been brought against three men and two women, relate to membership of the Provisional IRA from dates in 1999 …

The Rising of the Undead

Brian Spencer on July 27, 2012, 1:23 pm

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Disparate republican militant groups have announced a coming together under a single leadership that has breathed new life into the IRA, promising to bring murder, anarchy and terrorism back to Northern Ireland. Here’s my illustration. Brian SpencerBrian is a writer, artist, political cartoonist and legal blogger. Actively tweeting from @brianjohnspencr. More information here: http://www.brianjohnspencer.com/ www.brianjohnspencer.com/

NI Secretary of State blocks Martin Corey release

Pete Baker on July 9, 2012, 7:52 pm

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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 State, Owen Paterson has intervened. Corey had been released on licence in 1992 after serving 19 years for the murder of two policemen. Former NI Secretary …

Boston College: “No pledge of privacy nor oath of secrecy can avail against demand for the truth in a court of justice.”

Pete Baker on July 7, 2012, 2:14 pm

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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 another legal front… From the Boston Globe report A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s ruling ordering Boston College to turn over confidential materials …

McGeough’s Royal Prerogative of Mercy bid dismissed

Pete Baker on July 3, 2012, 3:10 pm

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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 previously served jail terms in Germany and the United States. His lawyers advanced a number of comparison cases involving others who received the RPM. These included: …

“Those at the heart of the Sinn Fein machine know all of this to be true.”

Pete Baker on June 25, 2012, 3:12 pm

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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 a function in which he will be ‘presented’ to Her Majesty during a tour of her United Kingdom! But the meeting between McGuinness and the Queen …

“he knew who really held the power in the party…”

Pete Baker on June 20, 2012, 4:41 pm

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BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport notes some lines of interest from former Sinn Féin MLA, Billy Leonard’s memoir, “Towards a United Ireland – an uncompleted journey”. From Mark Devenport’s blog The memoir is revealing on the discussions within Sinn Fein at the time of the Northern Bank robbery and the murder of Robert McCartney and, as he told me on Inside Politics, Mr Leonard believes the IRA’s tentacles still run through the party. He writes that “when the IRA …