Terrorism – Page 6 – Slugger O'Toole

“Adding more weapons to this volatile situation could destabilise the entire region…”

Pete Baker on June 15, 2013, 6:42 pm

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The Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers were in a sunny Downing Street garden yesterday, welcoming that suspect package, and extolling the virtues of demonstrating “peacefully, positively, constructively” [Is that with, or without, a Thompson sub-machine gun? – Ed] Without, probably… ANYhoo, on the same day Sinn Féin released the text of what appears to be a different speech to that delivered in Downing Street by the Mid Ulster MP Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness – made at …

“Obama may do things you progressives find distasteful, but at least marvel at how thoughtful and torn up he is about it all…”

Pete Baker on May 28, 2013, 2:48 pm

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With growing domestic political difficulties – the continued fall-out from Benghazi, the IRS caught targeting political opponents, the increased invocation of the 1917 Espionage Act against troublesome journalists, to name but three issues – US President Barack Obama is probably looking forward to his short June break at Lough Erne. In the meantime, though, take the time to read Glenn Greenwald’s excellent analysis of Obama’s recent ‘war on terror’ speech. From Glenn Greenwald’s post But whatever else is true, what should …

Sinn Féin: Hyde Park bomb charges “vindictive, unnecessary and unhelpful”

Pete Baker on May 22, 2013, 5:02 pm

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Reports that John Anthony Downey, 61, from County Donegal, has been charged with the murder of four members of the Royal Household Cavalry in the 1982 Provisional IRA bombing in Hyde Park, London – he was arrested on Sunday at Gatwick Airport – has prompted a statement from Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly, MLA and member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. From the Sinn Féin statement [added emphasis throughout] [Gerry Kelly] “John Downey is a member of Sinn Féin and a long time supporter of the …

Canning pleads guilty on 2011 Easter Monday charges

Pete Baker on April 29, 2013, 8:46 pm

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The BBC has a report on the on-going trial of one of the three Londonderry men charged, along with Marian Price, in relation to a 32 County Sovereignty Movement Easter Monday parade in the city in 2011 – the charge is of managing a meeting in support of a proscribed organisation, the IRA. And we have a conclusion to the judicial process for two of the accused – including Marvin Canning, the 51-year-old brother-in-law of Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness. …

Explosions at Boston Marathon Finish Line

Pete Baker on April 15, 2013, 8:48 pm

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The BBC are reporting that there have been two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, three hours after the winners had passed the line. That’s around 5 hours after the race start. Currently the number of people injured is unkown. Live coverage from the BBC here. Adds Guardian live-blog here. Update According to early reports, noted on the Guardian live-blog, 2 people dead and 23 injured after two bombs exploded near the Boston Marathon finish line. And The Guardian notes a holding statement …

“But we’re still part of the UK…”

Pete Baker on April 10, 2013, 10:02 pm

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The DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson, MP, and Sinn Féin’s Alex Maskey, MLA, appeared separately on UTV Live this evening to give their thoughts on the 15th anniversary of the 1998 Agreement. Apparently Alex Maskey hadn’t arrived at the studio in time for the first segment… Whether by accident, or design, it was left to presenter Seamus McKee Paul Clark to ask the obvious question to Alex Maskey’s opening assertion. Here’s what the Sinn Féin MLA claimed The fundamental difference between before the …

Margaret Thatcher is like Alex Ferguson…

Pete Baker on April 9, 2013, 5:20 pm

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I don’t intend to comment on the putative legacy of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher [Too early to say? – Ed] Perhaps. And Mick has it covered… But I will point to Tom Chivers’ observations on some of the more, erm, extreme reactions. My own hypothesis, and it’s only a hypothesis, is that she’s hated by some of the less thoughtful elements of the Left in the same way that Sir Alex Ferguson is hated by less thoughtful Liverpool fans: because she …

“Already, two Sinn Fein special advisers have been submitted to vetting procedures put in place by Sammy Wilson, the finance minister, as a condition for paying them.”

Pete Baker on March 24, 2013, 4:46 pm

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In the Belfast Telegraph, Liam Clarke adds some interesting background detail on Jim Allister’s Bill legislating for the vetting of ministerial special advisers. As he points out, vetting began following the resignation of Sinn Féin’s Mary McArdle – who had been jailed for her part in the 1984 murder of Mary Travers. From the Belfast Telegraph article When Sinn Fein eventually replaced Ms McArdle with Mr Kearney, a journalist, Mr Wilson refused to pay him until he was vetted under special …

“The department of justice said discussions about the precise source of funding for the HET are continuing…”

Pete Baker on March 21, 2013, 8:45 pm

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The issue of funding the ongoing work of the Historical Enquiries Team, as well as its perceived independence, may be about to become a matter of political disagreement… As the BBC NI home affairs correspondent, Vincent Kearney, reports Hundreds of families have co-operated with the team on the basis that it was acting independently. Many families of people killed during the Troubles, including relatives of some RUC officers, did not want former police officers from Northern Ireland involved in the review …

Lessons from the Balkans: Tactical, strategic, psychological and spontaneous uses of extreme violence.

Mick Fealty on March 18, 2013, 3:42 pm

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Stunningly good conversation on Start the Week this morning on BBC Radio 4. You can catch the whole lot here, but the clip above begins with this penetrating opening statement from the Balkan writer Aleksandar Hemon: What happened in Bosnia, people always try to explain it as thousands of years of hatred: which of course is lazy, easy and inaccurate. I always thought that the extreme violence in Bosnian and particularly around Sarajevo was directly proportional to strength of the …

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 …

“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 …

“Items not detected included drugs, mobile phone batteries, scissors and a knife.”

Pete Baker on February 13, 2013, 10:05 pm

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The BBC NI home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney seems to have gotten hold of a prison service evaluation report of the three month trial of electronic body scanners at Magilligan prison and Hydebank Wood – as a suggested alternative to full-body searches. The Assembly’s Justice Committee is due to discuss the report tomorrow [Thursday]. From the BBC report Items not detected included drugs, mobile phone batteries, scissors and a knife. Nearly 1200 prisoners and prison staff were searched using two millimetre wave …

National Crime Agency: What’s in a name?

Pete Baker on January 31, 2013, 4:31 pm

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The local row over the UK’s new National Crime Agency (NCA) isn’t going away. But let’s try to address the issue in a less hysterical manner… Firstly, the body that the NCA needs to be compared with, in terms of the powers to be available to it here, is the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). From the BBC report 28 January. Many of the policing powers being given to the NCA have been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly, therefore it has …

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 …

Belfast Court refuses to order Liam Campbell extradition to Lithuania

Pete Baker on January 16, 2013, 11:08 pm

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Lithuanian authorities may be regretting their apparent preference for dealing with the Northern Ireland Courts in the attempt to extradite Liam Campbell, one of the men held to be responsible for the Omagh bombing, on weapons and terrorism charges. As the BBC reports, Mr Justice Burgess has refused to order Liam Campbell’s extradition to Lithuania on the grounds that he was likely to be held in inhuman and degrading conditions. [Liam Campbell’s] lawyers resisted extradition proceedings by arguing that it would …

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 …

Matt Baggott: “we will deal firmly with outbreaks of violence…”

Pete Baker on January 7, 2013, 12:09 am

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The BBC report on the continuing violence in Belfast now has quotes from the PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott [Is he back from his holidays? – Ed] “I want to commend the tireless courage of my officers at this very difficult time,” Chief Constable Matt Baggott said. “You may be assured there will be sufficient resources in the event of more disorder for however long is necessary. “The police service will continue to do everything possible to maintain law and …

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 …