SAOIRSE32

Ciaranferrycaseupdates Info Page

**Received via email

Message from Ciarán Ferry

January 10, 2005

“I remain more committed than ever to this fight for justice.”

Just a few lines to thank you all for your support and friendship over the last two years, and to correct any misinformation about my departure.

First and foremost, I want to assure you all that the termination of my detention does not change anything in regards to my legal fight to live a free and peaceful existence in the U.S. I did voluntarily submit to removal, but I have not given up any right to appeal or withdrawn any pending appeals, and I have absolutely no intention of doing so. I remain more committed than ever to this fight for justice.

I apologize that my departure may have seemed abrupt. It was indeed a somewhat abrupt decision made as a family, and came only after repeated attempts at negotiating my release failed.

After my Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus was denied, there was no longer any legal avenue to secure my release. If the Department of Homeland Security would not agree to release me, I would have remained imprisoned until the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled on my asylum appeal. This ruling is not expected before the end of 2005.

Additionally, there was nothing legally protecting me from removal. To assure that I would not be deported immediately, my attorneys filed a Petition for a Stay of Removal. I was granted a temporary stay, which protected me from deportation until mid-December 2004.

Negotiations for my release had begun before the habeas hearing in October 2004, and continued well after the ruling came down. Unfortunately, despite numerous offers and agonizing days spent waiting and hoping for any response from the Department of Homeland Security, it finally became apparent that they had no intention of releasing me under any terms, barring a court order.

In the end, the DHS would not even allow me 30 days to spend with my wife and daughter before voluntarily departing - a courtesy extended on a daily basis to thousands of others facing deportation.

With another year of detention a near certainty, the decision was made to withdraw our pending Petition for a Stay of Removal and voluntarily submit to deportation. The Petition for a Stay was the only item withdrawn from court at this time.

My appeal of the decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals, which denied me political and religious asylum in the United States, remains live. Should justice prevail, I will be allowed to return to the U.S. In the coming month we will also be appealing the ruling by Judge Edward Nottingham which denied my Petition for Habeas Corpus.

However, because of safety concerns, we were unable to publicize any of this before I left the country.

I am still trying to get my head around things after almost two years of incarceration. I am happy to be out of that jail, but devastated to be so far away from Heaven and Fiona. I am already feeling nostalgic about those restrictive, half hour jail visits.

My safety is of grave concern to my family, and I worry about the stress this places on my wife and daughter. I can only hope that I will win asylum on appeal, be allowed to return to the United States. In the interim, we will be taking every precaution to ensure my safety.

On the upside I can now contribute to my little family, at least, in some small, financial way.

I can also communicate much more freely, and I will be in contact (personally) with many of you who sustained me throughout that period of darkness.

The other Irish Deportees and I will continue to fight to live safely and peacefully in the United States. My family will visit me in Ireland, but will remain in the U.S. until the conclusion of my court cases and continue to campaign on my behalf. I look forward to taking a more active and personal role in publicizing my case and working with the Irish Deportees of America Committee on behalf of all of the deportees, current and future.

Again, let me offer you my eternal thanks for your help, support, and kindness.

I gcairdeas,

Ciaran.

Belfast Telegraph

DNA to be used in hunt for killer
Mass screening in bid to solve horror attack

By Jonathan McCambridge
10 January 2005

Police hunting the killer who sexually assaulted an elderly woman and murdered her brother before Christmas today launched a mass DNA screening programme.

They have taken the controversial step as details have emerged about the horrific ordeal suffered by 76-year-old murder victim Patrick McGrath and his 67-year-old sister Philomena.

A senior detective today said the crime, committed in the Coalisland area, was one of the most “vile and appalling” he had ever investigated.

This is the first time large scale DNA screening will have been used in Northern Ireland since the search for the mother of Baby Carrie, found dead on a lane in Carryduff in 2002.

The murder of retired postmaster Patrick McGrath, who was well known in the area, shocked the rural Killeen community in the days before Christmas.

On Sunday, December 19, a man forced entry into the McGrath home on the Mountjoy Road in the Killeen area of Coalisland. Detectives believe that Mr McGrath was suffocated while still in bed.

His sister Philomena was then sexually assaulted by the man who viciously beat her before leaving her for dead.

Ms McGrath suffered serious head injuries and several broken bones. She was released from hospital on Friday.

So far she has only been able to give police limited details about her attacker.

The officer leading the hunt for the murderer, Detective Superintendent Derek Williamson, said: “This ranks amongst one of the most appalling and vile crimes I have encountered and we urgently need the co-operation and assistance of the public to bring to justice the person responsible.”

Police have made a number of specific appeals:

for anyone who was in the Killeen crossroads area of Coalisland, specifically the Mountjoy Road, the Lisaclare Road and the Coole Roads at any time between 10pm on Saturday December 18 and 10.30am on Sunday December 19 2004 to get in touch;

the murderer may have been or may still be exhibiting signs of unusual behaviour or in some way acting out of character. Family may notice this and suspicions should be reported;

detectives need to build up a complete picture of the life of Mr Patrick McGrath, and anyone who knew him and has not yet spoken to detectives is asked to get in touch.

Police will also be carrying out a voluntary DNA screening process in an area centred around Killeen. This is to eliminate men living in the area from the inquiry and will include males aged between 14 and 40.

Det Supt Williamson said: “Samples taken will not be added to the DNA database and cannot be checked against other crimes. In addition the office of the Police Ombudsman has been invited to independently verify the destruction of all samples.”

Anyone who can help is asked to call police in Dungannon on 8775 2525 or the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.

IRA2

Death warning to terror chief

Last posted: Monday 10 January 2005 16:54
Bolton Evening News

OUSTED terror chief Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair has been warned that the
Ulster Defence Association will kill him on the day he comes to Bolton.

Adair said Special Branch told him of the UDA’s intention but he
refuses to worry.

“Every plan they make always seems to end up in the hands of the
police,” he said. “The UDA sent out wee lads to kill me in the past,
and any threat they make against me, I just take with a pinch of salt.”

Adair has given his clearest indication yet that he will head for
Bolton on his release from jail.

He is due to walk free on Thursday 13 and told papers in Northern
Ireland that his sick wife, Gina, was his main priority.

The former UDA boss said in the Belfast Sunday Life newspaper: “I have
been locked up on my own for two years, and I can’t wait to get out -
I’m heading for Bolton.

“The prison authorities never gave me parole when my wife was
diagnosed with cancer and it was touch-and-go there for a while with
Gina, and that’s why she is my main priority.”

A new warning has also been issued over Adair by the retired detective
who helped put him behind bars in 1996.

Ex-detective sergeant Johnston Brown said he believes that Adair will
consolidate his power base before heading back to Belfast - something
Adair himself has pledged. But Mr Brown predicted Adair could cause
trouble in Bolton before returning to the Shankill.

He said: “No matter where he goes, he will be dangerous. He will
create havoc.

“He should not be underestimated or written off. He’s not ever going
to just go away.”

Members of the loyalist UDA group want revenge on Adair for the
killing of loyalist icon John “Grug” Gregg in February, 2003.

Adair, who had returned to prison just days earlier, was blamed for
ordering the murder and his family and supporters were driven out of
their Shankill homes within hours.

They settled in Bolton and a number of his most staunch allies remain
in the town.

Others are based in Scotland after leaving Bolton while his son,
20-year-old Jonathan, and three other men were jailed for conspiracy
to supply heroin last year. Adair also revealed that he had been
offered lucrative book deals, during his time in Maghaberry. The
Shankill Road man said: “I have been offered the chance to write a
book about my life by an American writer, but I will just have to wait
and see what happens.

“I have had a lot of time to think while I was in prison, and after
spending quality time with my family, I will decide what to do next.”

A spokesman for the UDA-linked Ulster Political Research Group Adair
was still the UDA’s “number one” target.

::: u.tv :::

UDA man jailed for life

MONDAY 10/01/2005 15:50:48

A 36-year-old UDA man who murdered party-goer Richard Hamill two years ago was jailed for life today at Belfast Crown Court.

William Moore, also known as “Billy the boxer”, from Rathgill Drive in Bangor pleaded guilty to the murder of 28-year-old Mr Hamill who was shot in the head in
the early hours of January 19, 2003.

The former unemployed boxer gave himself up to police following a high profile appeal concerning his whereabouts after he was named by detectives as the man they wanted to question in connection with the killing, in court.

Moore, who was jailed for life by Mr Justice Hart, was remanded in custody while pre-sentence and other reports on him are drawn up.

Following a plea on his behalf, possibily next month, Mr Justice Hart will fix the minimum sentence Moore must serve of his life term before it is considered safe for him to be released on licence back into the community.

republicanarmy

32 County Sovereignty Movement
Press Release

10/01/2005
Contact: Andy Martin Director of Publicity
Phone: 07742 439 449 or e-mail sovereign_nation@hotmail.com

Decision to jail ‘PIRA 9’ exposes British hypocrisy

The decision by the Bloody Sunday tribunal to jail the man known as ‘PIRA 9’ exposes British hypocrisy in regards to the real victims of that day and shows that little has changed in the mindset of the British establishment. ‘PIRA 9’ who is due to begin a 3-month sentence today is charged with refusing to testify to the tribunal. This man refuses to testify on the grounds that it is against his republican principles to testify to a British tribunal headed by a British lord, that he has nothing to add to the tribunal anyway and that evidence submitted by a witness that put him at the scene was totally unreliable.
The British Establishment’s reaction begs the question ‘Are the people of Derry any more likely to see justice under Lord Saville than they were under Lord Widgery’?
The reaction of the Saville inquiry certainly goes some way to answering that question. It appears the victims of British aggression are still being punished while the perpetrators hide behind the cloak of anonymity, secrecy and impunity.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement condemn this miscarriage of justice and ask when will the British military establishment be brought into the dock over this and countless other atrocities. While we know that it was the Para’s that pulled the triggers, when will Saville and his tribunal name the hands behind the hands that used the weapons. This man may well be lying in a cell tonight in defence of his principles while the men with no principle will be frequenting their gentlemen’s clubs with no hint of conscience. The 32 County Sovereignty Movement ask nationalists and republicans to take a close look at this episode and ask themselves ‘How has British rule changed’?

BBC

Two are quizzed over bank notes

The two had £18,000 of Northern Bank notes

Two people have been arrested after about £18,000 worth of Northern Bank notes was recovered in Craigavon.

It is believed they were in possession of a large amount of £100 notes.

It has not been confirmed if the arrests are related to the multi-million pound robbery from the Northern Bank headquarters last month.

In a statement a police spokesman said they believe that traceable and large denomination notes could be split to facilitate money laundering.

Police have appealed to shopkeepers and businesses to be vigilant.

Irish Independent

Great sliothars of fire light up Lee

A spectacular fireworks display marks the opening of Cork 2005, European City of Culture. Pictures: Gerard McCarthy, Daragh Mac Sweeney and Philip Daly

WHERE else could we be, but in Cork? Home of the reigning All-Ireland hurling champions and newly-crowned European Capital of Culture for 2005.

So there was no surprise when that celebrated work of art known as Sean Og O hAilpin was chosen to play a key role in the opening ceremony on Saturday.

As the afternoon of celebrations moved towards a spectacular finale, huge crowds lining the banks of the Lee roared in appreciation as their hero Sean Og, proudly wearing the red and white, stepped up to the water’s edge. He bent down, lifted a blazing ball of fire onto his hurley, rested it, and waited for the signal.

Then, with an elegant sweep of arm and practised flick of wrist, he struck the fireball into the river.

Everyone cheered. For he was St Finbarr, slaying the serpent.

And in the process, he was also signalling the start of one of the best fireworks displays ever seen in Ireland.

When those first flares and starbursts exploded into the clear winter sky, the organisers of Saturday’s festivities could finally breathe easy. Just hours earlier, as a violent storm lashed the city, it seemed like months of careful planning might have to be abandoned on the whim of the weather.

But then a miracle happened.

The party to mark Cork’s designation as European Capital of Culture ran for four hours - President McAleese performed the opening honours at 2pm, a street carnival followed, and then the fire and water extravaganza brought proceedings to an impressive close at 6pm.

For those few hours, the rain stopped and the wind died. Then the last firecracker exploded and the ringing of the church bells evaporated on the air. And as the crowds drifted off home, it began to drizzle. Soon, it was lashing rain again, and it continued to come down all day yesterday and last night.

Cork 2005 director, John Kennedy, said it had to be St Finbarr’s doing and thanked him for interceding with Mother Nature. But President McAleese, always anxious to build bridges, was more anxious to embrace those new members of the enlarged EU who will be playing a part in this year’s celebration of arts and culture.

She suspected the Child of Prague had a hand in controlling the elements.

It turned out the President had been a bit worried about her trip to Cork on Saturday, given that she thought the wind was going to blow the roof off Aras an Uachtarain the night before. “The Aras is the creakiest house in Ireland,” she told guests at the official opening - a rather dull civic reception in City Hall, populated by the Cork Culturati, local politicians, members of the diplomatic corps and visiting big wigs from Europe.

Without a doubt, Arts Minister John O’Donoghue was star of the show. His was a performance, more than a speech. Kerryman O’Donoghue abandoned his boring script and hammed it up wonderfully for his Cork neighbours, heaping backhanded praise on de Rebel county and her illustrious sons and daughters, managing to bring in Christy Ring and Jack Lynch along the way.

“Up Cork!” bellowed the Bull, “and here’s up ‘em all, said the Boys of Fair Hill!” There must be a very radical constituency rejig in the pipeline.

President McAleese decided to go down the entertainment path too, rolling out the one liners and pulling faces like she was doing a three-minute stand-up routine in Vicar Street.

Before coming to the opening, she said she had been ringing the Bells of Shandon - a popular activity with tourists - and was delighted at long last to have found a musical instrument she can play. There is an extensive programme already in place for the year ahead, with more events added by the day. The weekend’s happenings could be viewed as “a microcosm of the year to come”, said John Kennedy, adding that Cork now has the opportunity to celebrate the local, side-by-side with the national and international.

Lord Mayor Sean Martin, brother of Minister Micheál, spoke of 2005 as “a time of immense resurgency in the life of Cork - a time of renewal and renaissance”. He thanked all those who had supported the city’s bid to become culture capital, particularly thanking Belfast City Council for their contribution, known as the Lagan to the Lee programme.

However, it has to be stressed that in Cork, “de Banks” is a song, and does not refer to places that can be robbed.

Meanwhile, back on the streets, all manners of weird and wonderful characters were wandering around. Most of them on stilts. A fearsome robot stalked the place, while oversized gorillas and ostriches took great pleasure in creeping up on people unawares. Two men, perfectly equipped and attired, spent much of the afternoon cross-country skiing up and down Oliver Plunkett street. Bui Bolg brought along their Hillybilly giants and Cork Community Circus unleashed their fire-breathing dragons.

Most of the music consisted of samba drumming, or “urban drum and bass”. Just when did the moment arrive in Ireland when the music of the people and the street was deemed to be samba? God bless us, but you’d be getting nostalgic for an honest to goodness brass and reed band. Or the sight of a fine body of men in thick socks with bagpipes. There doesn’t seem to be much room for that sort of thing anymore. Probably because it requires people to learn to play an instrument.It is estimated that around 100,000 people turned out for a look at the “Awakenings” ceremony and river spectacular.

This involved a 600-metre serpent rising from the Lee, but it was difficult to see what was happening in the water, apart from the large, rather phallic looking inflatables that ballooned up above the quays.

There was also a rambling preamble on the big screens involving various RTE “celebrities” which was largely ignored by the crowds.

But the fireworks were fabulous, complete with vast drifts of tickertape showering down and a soundtrack featuring the finest Irish tracks of the last few decades. Sixteen acts, including Thin Lizzy, U2, Horslips, Divine Comedy, The Stunning, Sinead O’Connor and The Thrills.

In fact, only two of them from Cork - Rory Gallagher and The Frank and Walters.

This might start a row. Because we mustn’t forget that other great Cork art form - complaining.

Miriam Lord

IOL

Country braced for more extreme weather

10/01/2005 - 16:11:49

Storm force winds and high tides are expected to wreak havoc along the west coast tomorrow as the country recovers from a weekend of gales and heavy rain.

A combination of gale force winds, unusually high spring tides and rain are forecast to hit western counties in the afternoon causing floods.

Met Eireann issued a severe weather warning with southerly winds reaching 40mph and gusts of up to 70mph. Onshore winds are forecast to lead to coastal flooding across the northwest.

The storm will worsen during the day with winds expected to reach speeds of up to 55mph and gusting up to 100mph in exposed parts of the west and north. Gusts of 70 to 80mph can be expected elsewhere.

Galway, the Shannon estuary, the north west and some areas in the south are thought to be at particular risk from flooding.

John Leech, Irish Water Safety chief executive, has warned motorists in the west and south and people living near rivers to be extremely vigilant.

“Flood conditions expose the public to hazards they need to be aware of. Motorists need to be particularly vigilant to avoid flooded areas on roads but particularly near rivers,” he said.

He also urged people to listen out for weather and flood warnings and be aware of local high tide times as this was the most critical time.

Mr Leech also called on people to look after elderly or sick neighbours and others who may be at risk.

Strong winds forced 23 planes to be diverted away from Dublin airport on Sunday. Almost 2,000 airline passengers faced hours of disruption and bus journeys across the country from Shannon due to the severe weather.

Elsewhere train services between Dublin and Sligo were hit with a stretch of track outside Longford forced to close due to flooding. Roads were closed in Clare, Monaghan and Galway with a diversion in place in the village of Craughwell, which was particularly badly affected.

IOL

Belfast loyalist wants to remain in jail

10/01/2005 - 15:32:39

A Belfast loyalist has asked to be kept in jail.

Ihab Shoukri is awaiting trial on a charge of membership of the UDA.

His barrister has said Mr Shoukri did not accept a condition of his bail, that he keep out of Belfast. He claims that the ban is affecting his health as he cannot live with his girlfriend.

Last month, the 31- year-old collapsed in a betting shop in Bangor where he had been living since he was banned from Belfast.

BBC

Abbas achieves landslide poll win

Mahmoud Abbas needed a strong mandate, analysts said

Interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has won a landslide victory in Sunday’s presidential election to succeed the late Yasser Arafat.

Preliminary official results show that Mr Abbas won 62.3% of the vote on a turnout of about 66%.

His main rival Mustafa Barghouti got 19.8%. Admitting defeat, he said it was a victory for Palestinian democracy.

Israel has welcomed the result and urged Mr Abbas to clamp down on militant Palestinian groups.

“The main focus at this stage… should be Palestinian action on terror,” said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a statement.

MAHMOUD ABBAS
Moderate head of main political faction Fatah
Seen as someone Israel will talk to
Willing to talk peace with Israel
Wants end to Palestinian armed uprising
Pledges to stick to key positions of late Yasser Arafat

“He [Mr Abbas] will be tested by the way he battles terror and acts to dismantle its infrastructure,” Mr Sharon said.

Mr Abbas has indicated he wants to meet Mr Sharon as soon as possible.

Israeli officials say Mr Sharon is prepared to hold security talks with the new Palestinian leader, but full-scale peace negotiations will have to wait.

US President George W Bush has said he will invite Mr Abbas - also known as Abu Mazen - to Washington.

“I offer my congratulations to Abu Mazen. I look forward to talking to him at the appropriate time. I look forward to welcoming him here to Washington if he chooses to come here,” Mr Bush said.

He noted Mr Abbas had been elected with “a good-size majority”.

Earlier, Mr Bush said it was, along with upcoming parliamentary polls, “essential for the establishment of a sovereign, independent, viable, democratic and peaceful Palestinian state that can live alongside a safe and secure Israel”.

The EU has also praised the election.

“It is a very important step towards the creation of a viable and democratic Palestinian state,” said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

The head of the European Union election monitoring team, former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard, said it was “unique in the world to have general elections conducted democratically under foreign military occupation”.

Soul of Arafat

Full results will be published once all complaints have been assessed, Central Election Commission head Hanna Nasser told reporters.

Analysts had said Mr Abbas needed a large margin of victory to push his agenda of peace talks with Israel.

Mr Abbas addressed a rally of hundreds of supporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah to dedicate his victory to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

“I present this victory to the soul of Yasser Arafat and present it to our people, to our martyrs and to 11,000 prisoners” in Israeli jails.

Mr Abbas also called on militant Palestinian groups, who boycotted the election, to end their armed uprising against Israeli occupation.

A Hamas representative, Mahmoud Zahar, told the BBC that the new president would not succeed because Israel would not give him a chance. But Hamas says it will work with Mr Abbas, despite boycotting the poll.

Chaotic voting

Voting was reported to have been brisk but there were problems with registration, heavy turnout and the turning-away of hundreds of voters from a big Israeli-run polling station in East Jerusalem.

Some chaotic scenes were reported there.

Voters complained that Israeli officials were not allowing them to vote even though the Palestinian central election commission had properly registered them.

Although voting seemed to go smoothly for most of the day in Gaza, there were reports of chaotic scenes outside polling stations in the evening.

At a polling station in Ramallah in the West Bank, five Palestinian gunmen fired into the air in frustration that some names had been left off lists.

They were persuaded to leave the station.

BBC

Loyalist leader freed from prison

Johnny Adair has been freed from Maghaberry Prison

Convicted loyalist leader Johnny Adair has been released from prison in Northern Ireland.

He was taken to RAF Aldergrove and flown by helicopter to Manchester.

Adair has served two-thirds of a 16-year sentence for directing terrorism by the Ulster Freedom Fighters.

The loyalist, from the Shankill area of Belfast, was due to be freed on Thursday. But a prison spokesman said he had been given a period of pre-release home leave.

It is understood Adair was met and interviewed by a representative of the Greater Manchester Police when he arrived on Monday.

Adair is expected to join his family who have settled in Bolton after fleeing Northern Ireland during a loyalist paramilitary feud two years ago.

Chief Superintendent Dave Lea of Greater Manchester Police warned Adair that criminal behaviour would not be tolerated.

He said his force would act “robustly” to deal with any criminal or anti-social behaviour.

Adair was expelled by the Ulster Defence Association leadership in late 2002.

It is the third time Adair has been released from prison since his conviction in 1995.

Gina Adair fled to Bolton after loyalist feud

He was previously returned to prison for breaching licence conditions in August 2000 after being released from prison under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement a year earlier.

On 15 May, 2002, he was released from prison having reached the 50% point of his sentence.

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy ordered Adair to be sent back to prison in January 2003 at the height of a vicious power-struggle between his “C Company” faction and the rest of the UDA.

Days later, John Gregg, a member of the UDA inner council, was shot dead near Belfast docks as he returned from a Glasgow Rangers football match.

Members of Adair’s brigade blamed for the killing were later routed and forced to flee their Shankill Road powerbase.

The family’s attempts to remain anonymous were disrupted when Adair’s teenage son, Jonathan, was sentenced last year for drug offences.

Belfast Telegraph

Poet honoured

By Patsy McArdle
10 January 2005

Poet-author Patrick Kavanagh, whose centenary was commemorated during the past year, is to leave his mark on a new 28.2 million euro bypass which will be opened in Co Monaghan at the end of this month.

Monaghan County Council has decided that it will name the new Carrickmacross bypass, which is on the main Dublin/Londonderry N2 route, as ‘The Kavanagh Way'’ in an effort to perpetuate the memory of the poet, who was born in Co Monaghan village of Inniskeen.

The road-opening ceremony is due to take place on January 24.

IOL

Ireland ranked fourth in World Database of Happiness

10/01/2005 - 07:53:02

Research carried out by a Dutch sociologist has reportedly named Ireland as the fourth happiest place in the world in which to live.

Reports this morning said Ireland was tied in fourth place with Iceland in the World Database of Happiness drawn up by Professor Ruut Veenhoven of the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.

Denmark, Malta and Switzerland, who were all tied for first place, were the only countries ranked as being happier places than Ireland.

This morning’s reports said the findings were based on surveys conducted in 112 countries between 1946 and 2004, but the reports did not reveal what factors were used to determine happiness levels.

However, Prof Veenhoven was quoted as saying that happy countries tended to be rich, well-governed and democratic countries with a lot of freedom and tolerance.

32csm’s Message Board

2005: New Years Statement from the 32 County Sovereignty Movement

Posted on 7/1/2005 at 17:57:21 by kp
Francis Mackey, National Chairman, 32 CSM

New year is generally a time when people make a lot of resolutions. One of mine is to continue to build a strong alternative to British rule in Ireland and to uphold the sovereignty of the Irish people.

I would just hope that the British government would realise how genuine republicans really are when we say lasting peace on this island is a priority and that the true obstacle to peace is the continued denial of Irish National Sovereignty.

The 32 County Sovereignty Movement at every opportunity has focussed on the peaceful alternative to British military rule and we will continue to put the case before the United Nations to have the rights of the Irish people protected.

The republican base expects us to protect and uphold the sovereign position and understand the damage done to it under the Belfast Agreement. They understand this aforementioned Agreement has delayed the day when Irish men, women, Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter can live side by side in peaceful harmony, free from the sectarian politics that are offered under Stormont.

It is abundantly clear such an agreement cannot deliver anything whatsoever, let alone upholding the right of the Irish Nation to freedom. The Unionist veto has again been secured and implemented.

On the issue of policing the PSNI/RUC have not changed and remain unacceptable to the nationalist community. They are unacceptable because they are a sectarian force upholding and protecting the illegal sovereign claim of a foreign government.

It will not matter who joins this corrupt force, their history and their future cannot deliver equal and impartial policing, rather they are a political armed entity imposing the will of the British Government, assisted when it is deemed necessary by the army of occupation. This will never be acceptable to the Irish people who live under such a threat of force.

The British government’s agenda, assisted by the establishment parties to the agreement, is one of normalisation. Its aim is to feed our young people the ‘normality’ of British rule. Fortunately this new generation are not so naïve, and see very clearly the injustices of British interference in Irish affairs.

More and more young people are looking to republicans for direction and as part of our development, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement is well placed to give such leadership, with a clear analysis of the problems that have led to conflict.

I would encourage our young people to organise themselves in a positive way to debate the direction the republican movement must take to counteract the undemocratic nature of British rule in Ireland and I am always pleased as are the members of the National Executive to attend any self organised groups to outline our position. We are proud of our democratic approach which recognises the differing and valid views across the republican base.

That is why we are the only organisation with a peaceful alternative through our challenge at the UN, and it is because of this the British and Dublin governments have moved with draconian laws to stymie our progress.

Of course this will fail like all previous attempts because republicans and the Irish people generally know that the issue of National Sovereignty will come up again and again until it is effectively addressed.

Is it not better to address it now rather than impose continued sectarian suffering on our people?

The 32 County Sovereignty Movement faces the challenges of 2005 from a sound base, a true analysis and the confidence to confront when necessary the evils of British rule.

Finally, I call on the British government to relinquish their illegal sovereign claim immediately, to allow the Irish people their democratic right to National self-determination and I further call on the establishment parties to stop hiding behind British legislation and to uphold the sovereignty of this proud nation by supporting our challenge at the United Nations

They can begin by ensuring that the designation in America, which has us banned from travelling there, is lifted. Also recognizing that moving the issue of national sovereignty forward would bring an end to all conflict.

I would extend to all political prisoners our solidarity and best wishes at this time and pay tribute to all our activists for their dedication and commitment.

Best wishes to you all and your families for 2005.

BBC

Anger over Ahern ‘raid’ remarks

Millions of pounds were stolen from the bank on 20 December

Sinn Fein is angry at claims it knew of a plan to rob the Northern Bank in Belfast, the party chairman has said.

Mitchel McLaughlin said comments by the Irish prime minister were “a direct attack on the integrity of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness”.

Bertie Ahern said on Sunday he was convinced republicans were aware of the plan during intensive political talks in December.

Police said the IRA was behind the raid. Sinn Fein has rejected this.

Mr McLaughlin said: “Many nationalists and republicans will be deeply disappointed that the taoiseach has chosen to believe the British and to jump onto the DUP bandwagon of blame.

“That the taoiseach should do this, after years of working closely with this party’s leadership in the peace process, is a grave blow and will be an encouragement to all those, particularly in the DUP, who have consistently sought to attack and undermine the efforts for peace.”

‘Entirely justified’

PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde said on Friday that he believed the IRA was behind the £26.5m Northern Bank raid.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Tony Blair said the chief constable would not have made the claims without evidence.

He said progress was possible in the Northern Ireland process but the IRA must stop all violence.

Mr Blair also said unionists were “entirely justified” to refuse to share power with Sinn Fein, “unless there is a definitive end to all forms of paramilitary or criminal activity by one of the parties that is associated with a paramilitary group”.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley will meet Mr Blair this week when he will call on the government to form a devolved administration without republicans.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Monday that he was not willing to enter into any discussions whatsoever with a party with links to a group which continued to take part in criminal activity.

“The agreement we came together to reach was that if anybody broke the rules and were not prepared to stick to peace, instead of paramilitary activity, they would automatically go out of the process,” he said.

“I think the IRA have put themselves out of the process.

“I think that the two governments have got to get the train out of the station. As the IRA/Sinn Fein have put themselves out of the train, the train must go on and we must get our government back here in Northern Ireland.”

Mr Paisley said he accepted that those who were elected by voters were entitled to hold office whether he agreed with their principles or not.

The bank raid is thought to have been one of the UK’s biggest cash robberies.

The robbers stole millions from the vaults of the bank on 20 December as the families of two bank officials were held hostage.