SAOIRSE32

Derry Journal

Friday 24th February 2006

Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness told the ‘Journal’ yesterday that SDLP leader, Mark Durkan is “no John Hume’. And the Mid Ulster M.P. hadn’t too many kind words either for DUP leader, Ian Paisley, claiming that the long serving unionist leader was “still just as bigoted, sectarian and opposed to peace as he had always been through his long and negative political career.”

The rising temperature of the political debate was only too apparent as Mr. McGuinness claimed that Mr. Durkan had colluded with both the British government and the DUP to exclude his party from talks. “Given the fact that Mark Durkan has whinged about the need for an inclusive process I was very disappointed that he was prepared to collude with the British and the DUP to exclude Sinn Fein. One thing is very clear -he’s no John Hume.”

The veteran republican was adamant that the process was now at a crucial stage and either there was a return to a devolved Assembly and Executive or the whole thing was shut down and the two governments began a “joint process” to replace it. Stating that he and Gerry Adams would be meeting the Taoiseach on Wednesday and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair on Thursday, Mr. McGuinness said he anticipated very frank discussions. “We are seeking real answers as to where the governments are taking this process. Now is the time for the British to put it up to the DUP. Either they are prepared to do business or they are not. If Paisley is not willing to work with the rest of us then not only should the salaries stop, the Assembly should be abolished and the governments begin a joint process to govern the North.”

Mr. McGuinness said it was “make your mind up” time for Mr. Blair. “This week we saw another example of Paisley putting it up to everyone, including Mr. Blair. The whole focus by Paisley and other members of the DUP on long silent IRA guns while they remain silent on murder and violence amongst loyalists is self evidently ridiculous.”The big challenge to Mr. Blair and the rest who say they want to restore the institutions is that Sinn Fein needs to be part of that process and it should be made clear that the only people preventing progress are the DUP badly led by Mr. Paisley.”

Describing some of the DUP leader’s recent utterances as “downright despicable,” the Derry man said he regarded his recent comments about Irish president, Mary McAleese, as beyond the pale. “The reason I find it despicable is I think I have a more accurate assessment of what he is really about here: he’s worried about the ongoing excellent work President McAleese and her husband Martin are doing in building bridges with loyalism. I think Paisley is attempting to scare off those loyalists who want cordial relationships with the rest of us.”

Mr. McGuinness said he put Dr. Paisley’s interventions this week on a par with his “sackcloth and ashes” speech in late Autumn last year which scuttled any chance of an agreement between the DUP and Sinn Fein on the possibility of going into government. “I think it will become clear very shortly whether Paisley will do business. The wider unionist community knows a deal needs to be done. I think there is a growing recognition amongst unionists that they are going backwards under the leadership of Dr. No.”

RTÉ

24 February 2006 15:05

Three unemployed Dublin bricklayers jailed earlier this month for contempt of court have been freed after giving an undertaking not to picket buildings sites operated by a construction firm.

The three men, Keith Kelly, Billy McClurg and Andrew Clarke, today told Miss Justice Mary Lafoy that they would not picket sites operated by Collen Construction.

The three men were previously jailed after refusing to give such an undertaking.
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Miss Justice Lafoy said the three men had learned a lesson that the court orders must be obeyed. Speaking afterwards all three men said they would be signing on the dole on Monday.

The men had originally been brought to court earlier this month after picketing a site in Ballybrack where they had sought work. The men claimed they had been refused work because of their union membership.

News Letter

Friday 24th February 2006

THE DUP does not need advice from Ulster Unionists on how to negotiate with Sinn Fein, party chairman Maurice Morrow has said. The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA hit back at comments made by Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey criticising the stance of the DUP in this week’s talks.

Elsewhere in these pages, Sir Reg illustrates what he believes are huge inconsistencies in DUP policy, but Mr Morrow insisted that he and his party needed no help in negotiating a return to devolved government in Northern Ireland. “The UUP is in no position to offer advice on handling the republican movement given their history,” he said. “Their track record in talks is a trail of tears for unionism and one that no self-respecting unionist would wish to follow. “Negotiations in which unionism was led by the Ulster Unionist party were hallmarked by Sinn Fein being put into the Province’s government while the IRA remained involved in criminality and terrorism and UUP acquiescence or even agreement to a whole host of concessions to republicans. “By being unflinching in our stand that there can be no place for the representatives of republican terror and criminality in the government of Northern Ireland, the Government and republicans know that the days of pushover unionism are over for ever. “There will be no return to the days when the UUP simply rolled over and gave in to Sinn Fein/IRA. Through establishing devolution on such a shoddy basis, the UUP doomed Northern Ireland to failure. Again, on this issue - as in others - the DUP is determined not to follow the example set by the UUP. “Rather than advising the DUP to confront Sinn Fein, Reg Empey and the UUP should begin to confront the fact that their style of negotiations was a complete and utter disaster for unionism.”

BN.ie

24/02/2006 - 11:56:18

Shoppers were today warned to expect major traffic disruption in Dublin as the Love Ulster parade moves into the city.

Unionist politicians, Orangemen, loyalist bands and victims of IRA violence plan to march through Dublin city centre from midday tomorrow.

Gardai warned motorists to expect traffic disruption as the parade kicks off at 12.30pm at Parnell Square North before moving down O’Connell Street, Lower Grafton Street, Dawson Street and ending in Molesworth Street.

Officers, who will be out in force to ensure the event is not marred by disturbances, expect the parade to end at around 2pm.

Earlier this week, Foreign Affair Minister Dermot Ahern said the Government hoped the parade would pass off peacefully.

Before Tuesday’s meeting with Parades Commission chairman Roger Poole in Dublin, he said: “It’s a free country. We hope it passes off peacefully like many of the parades in Northern Ireland and doesn’t lead to difficulties for the public.”

Mr Ahern said issues surrounding all contentious parades could be resolved through patient dialogue. The minister said the vast majority of uncontested parades in the North pass off peacefully, like in Derry, which he said offers a very positive example.

BN.ie

24/02/2006 - 12:21:45

Relatives of the victims of the Omagh bombing have expressed outrage at the revelation that the British spy agency MI5 had been warned of a possible attack in the town, but failed to tell the RUC.

Officers reviewing the initial investigation into the atrocity have discovered email evidence that an American paid by MI5 and the FBI to infiltrate the Real IRA had warned that the group was planning to bomb the Co Tyrone town.

However, the warning from David Rupert, whose evidence led to the conviction and jailing of Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt, was never passed to police on the ground.

Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aidan was killed in the Omagh attack, said today: “At best, this is criminal negligence, at worst, it’s assisting a terrorist murder plot.”

Mr Gallagher said the revelations reinforced the need for a cross-border public inquiry to establish the full truth about Omagh.

“It must be thorough, comprehensive and impartial to find out exactly what happened and who should be held responsible for any failings,” he said.

Evening Echo

24/02/2006 - 09:56:41

MI5 withheld vital anti-terrorism intelligence just months before the Omagh bomb atrocity, it was revealed today.

Although the agency helped thwart an attack planned on the Co Tyrone town or Derry at the time of the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, it kept police in the North in the dark about the bomb plot, according to authoritative security sources.

Even after the outrage which killed 29 people, MI5 failed to inform Special Branch of the threat, and details have only just emerged as part of an investigation into an FBI agent who infiltrated the Real IRA, the dissident republican group, which carried out the attack.

Relatives of some of the Omagh dead said today they were astonished by the disclosure, and with MI5 preparing next year to take control of national security intelligence in the North, one MP called on Downing Street to abandon its plan.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said: “Allowing MI5 to have a lead role in intelligence in Northern Ireland would be like appointing Herod as childrens’ commissioner.”

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan, 21, was among those killed, said: “At best, this is criminal negligence. At worst, it’s assisting a terrorist murder plot.”

Three dissident republicans were arrested and later released without charge at the time of the foiled April 1998 bomb plot.

It followed an MI5 tip-off involving American FBI agent David Rupert, who was working undercover in the ranks of the Real IRA, warning that Omagh or Derry - but most likely Omagh – was to be hit by a dissident republican unit based in Fermanagh and the Letterkenny area of neighbouring Co Donegal.

The car containing a mortar bomb was never found, although it is believed the device may have been the same as one used in an attack on security forces in the border town of Belleek, Co Fermanagh, three weeks later.

At the time, the Royal Ulster Constabulary was aware that a planned terrorist operation had been disrupted, but according to authoritative security sources today, police found no trace on their records of any MI5 intelligence that Omagh, or Derry, was going to be a target.

Details emerged after inquiries in the United States where detectives investigating Omagh spoke with Rupert and examined emails which the agent once exchanged with his FBI and MI5 handlers.

It was Rupert’s evidence to a court in Dublin in 2003 which helped convict the Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt, who was jailed for 20 years for directing terrorism.

Police in the Irish Republic are not being blamed for holding back on any information linked to the failed bomb plot, four-and-a-half months before Omagh was attacked in August 1998 by a gang based in south Armagh and Co Louth.

But there is serious unease among security chiefs about MI5’s handling of the affair.

It is understood the agency also failed to inform two senior UK police officers called in by the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Police Service of Northern Ireland to quality-assure a new investigation after the initial one came in for such fierce criticism by Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan.

Mr Gallagher said today’s revelation would heighten the pressure on the British and Irish governments to set up a full cross-border independent inquiry.

He said: “MI5 is considered one of the top intelligence agencies in the world and had their finger very much on the pulse, yet they failed to notify the RUC that Omagh was a chosen target of a very active terrorist group.”

Mr Gallagher, who met British prime minister Tony Blair in Downing Street last month, added: “There must be a cross-border pulic inquiry to establish a truthful account of all events surrounding Omagh.

“It must be thorough, comprehensive and impartial to find out exactly what happened and who should be held responsible for any failings. It is only then that the families can begin to heal.”

The Omagh relatives are pressing ahead with a High Court civil action seeking £14m (€21m) compensation against the five men they blame for the bombing.

Next September the trial is due to begin of Sean Hoey, 36, from south Armagh, who has denied murdering the 29 people. The case is expected to last six months.

Last week Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain introduced a Bill in the House of Commons which would give MI5 the lead role in handling agents and informers from 2007 – a move heavily criticised by the SDLP and Sinn Féin.

Nationalists claim the agency’s new role also undermines policing reforms because it will not face the scrutiny of the Policing Board.

Mr Durkan said: “This latest revelation underscores the case that MI5 cannot be trusted to work in the true public interest, or relied upon to cooperate properly with other authorities.

“This also highlights MI5’s culture of intelligence for its own sake, used and handled for its own ends rather than through lawful democratic public interest.”

A spokeswoman for the chief constable, Hugh Orde, said that over the next two years, police would work to ensure that proper systems existed between MI5 and the PSNI to disseminate intelligence between both organisations.

She said: “That preparatory work will continue right up until 2007 and will take into consideration lessons learnt from the past.

“The Chief Constable is already on record as saying that he will not sign up to any arrangement that does not have his complete confidence.”

Telegraph

**Via Newshound

By Tom Peterkin, Ireland Correspondent
(Filed: 23/02/2006)

Police believe that the body of a 25-year-old woman murdered a year ago may have been hidden for several months before being dumped at sea.

Lisa Dorrian, a shop assistant, has not been seen since she left a party at a seaside caravan park a few miles from her home in Bangor, Co Down.

Her body has never been found, despite a campaign for information led by her family.

Some suspect that loyalist paramilitaries were involved in her murder. Last week graffiti identifying a suspect was daubed on walls.

It named one of the last men to see her alive and said: “Tell the police where Lisa’s body is and live.”

The Dorrian family have erected billboards appealing for help, set up a confidential website and offered a £10,000 reward last year for information.

At a press conference held a few days before the first anniversary of her death on Feb 28 last year, the Police Service of Northern Ireland announced that a new theory was being investigated. It is thought that Lisa’s body was hidden for four months before being moved between June 27 and Aug 4.

Joanna, Lisa’s younger sister

Police believe that her body was then taken out to sea in a 17ft long orange-red boat and dumped.

Det Supt George Hamilton said: “We now believe that Lisa’s body was moved from an original location.

“We believe this original location was on land, possibly in a building, an outhouse or a derelict shed.”

The police service is anxious to find the body’s original hiding place to conduct a forensic search.

Det Supt Hamilton urged those close to the people responsible to “search their own consciences and not allow misguided or misplaced loyalty to hinder the investigation or to prevent this family getting the least that they deserve, and that is the recovery of Lisa’s body for burial”.

Det Supt Hamilton was joined by members of Lisa’s family including her younger sister Joanna, who made a plea for information.

Newshound

(Seamus McKinney, Irish News)

The Bloody Sunday inquiry has confirmed that it will notify “interested parties” in advance of submitting its final report to the secretary of state.

The announcement is the first indication that the publication of the report – expected some time this year – is drawing close.

Lord Saville’s team completed the main body of evidence gathering in November 2004 and it was initially hoped the tribunal would publish its report last year.

But due to the huge quantity of evidence, the inquiry was unable to do so and was also unable to state a date for publication.

As the Saville Inquiry was established by parliament, the final report will be handed over to the Northern Ireland secretary who is then expected to publish it.

Earlier this year, John Kelly, whose brother Michael (17) was shot dead, complained that the Bloody Sunday families were not being given any information about the progress of the report.

A spokeswoman for the inquiry yesterday (Wednesday) confirmed that the families and other interested parties (former soldiers etc) would be given substantial notification before the report was handed over to the secretary of state.

February 24, 2006
________________

This article appeared first in the February 23, 2006 edition of the Irish News.

Belfast Telegraph

Justice Peter Cory tells Chris Thornton why he’s upset with the handling of Pat Finucane’s murder inquiry - and how a secret agent’s drugs hunting past ended up delaying the probe into Rosemary Nelson’s death

24 February 2006

You don’t get to be a judge, never mind a Justice of the Canadian Supreme Court, without understanding a little about fine distinctions.

So the Honourable Peter Cory sat earlier this week, patiently explaining why he disagrees with the Government about the murder of Pat Finucane, but can’t say they are wrong.

Or why he has no regrets about investigating the case, but might not do it again if he had life to live over.

At issue is the Government’s response to Justice Cory’s recommendation - made over two years ago - that public inquiries should be held into possible collusion in the murders of Mr Finucane, Rosemary Nelson, LVF leader Billy Wright, Portadown man Robert Hamill and RUC Superintendents Bob Buchanan and Harry Breen.

Most are proceeding. The superintendents’ inquiry is due to open shortly in the Republic, and three of the others have formally opened in Northern Ireland.

The thorny one remains the Finucane murder. Justice Cory knows more than most about this 1989 UDA murder, it being the most high profile of the six cases he spent a year and a half looking over.

The major reason for the delay - and for editing out, or redacting, sections of the Cory report - is the Government’s contention that national security issues are at play in the Finucane case.

Justice Cory says that, based on what he knows, he disagrees. But back in Northern Ireland this week to deliver a lecture at Queen’s, he was also careful to say that the Government has not filled him in on what their security concerns are.

“Personally do I agree with it? No,” he said. “Do I find it frustrating? Yes. It must be doubly frustrating for the family. Is it a correct decision or not? I cannot tell you.

“It’s just one of those difficult situations. Who’s at fault? I don’t know because I haven’t got facts from the Government side as to why it would be necessary that this now involves matters of state security and as a result we’re not going to do this.

“I do not know because I cannot get behind at this stage and see why is it a matter of state security.

“A government obviously knows far more about aspects of state security than I do,” he said. “As I’ve said, I disagreed with their decision with regard to redaction and I may well have disagreed with their opinion with regard to state security.

“But I have to emphasise I’m not in the position of the Government to know what is necessary to protect state security, so I have a difficult position as far as answering because I haven’t all the facts.

“You can’t judge a situation until you have all the facts and you explore them and test them and decide what is right and true. I don’t have all the facts on that aspect. On the surface, I disagree with the decision, that’s all.”

He added: “All I can say is that I differ with their opinion on the basis of what I saw. I’m not going to say over-cautious or any other danged expression.

“I differed with them on what I saw, whether it constituted a matter of state security or not.”

The Finucane case has become a stalemate. To protect the unspecified national security concerns, the Government passed legislation that gives Ministers direct control over evidence.

The Finucane family has opposed an inquiry under these terms, but Secretary of State Peter Hain says it is this way or no way. So far he has been unable to find a judge who will take the inquiry on.

Justice Cory says the Government is trying to “change the goalposts”. While he says he was “upset” at that decision, he does not have “a damn bit of regret”.

“It was a job to be done and it’s damn well done and it’s finished. Do I regret it? No. It had to be done and perhaps shed some light on an unfortunate situation.

“I was asked to do it. I did it to the best of my ability. I made the recommendations I did. I stand behind those recommendations.”

During his review of information about the Finucane murder, Justice Cory got unprecedented access to Cabinet papers referring to the killing. That revelation fed speculation that repercussions for the murder went all the way to Downing Street.

But Justice Cory says he does not remember “anything of tremendous significance in the Cabinet papers as compared to papers I got from other people”.

He says it is “wonderful” that other inquiries are proceeding, adding that he is “responsible for a couple of months of delay” in the Rosemary Nelson case.

“What was happening was that I was asked to keep some very sensitive material secure,” he said.

“My way of keeping it secure for a number of reasons was to take it personally to the Canadian High Commissioner and say ‘take that in your security pouch back to Canada and file it with CSIS’, our security agency. And that’s what they did.

“Now then it came time when the (Nelson) commissioner wanted to see those papers. I’d given the opinion that they were sensitive but they didn’t affect my decision.

“But of course he wants to explore the background. And it took me a while to get them back from CSIS.

“And it involves this: the agent who took them there, who stored them for CSIS has now retired.

“They don’t want him pinpointed as an agent of CSIS or a CSIS person involved as he was with significant drug crime.

“So it had to be done carefully and slowly. So when you’re looking at Rosemary Nelson, charge all three months of the delay with me. And I’m not a dang bit sorry.”

Belfast Telegraph

By Michael McHugh
24 February 2006

The family of Co Louth loyalist murder victim Seamus Ludlow may write to the Irish Director of Public Prosecutions to find out why the decision to prosecute four suspects was dropped.

Mr Ludlow’s nephew Jimmy Sharkey said he was encouraged by recent news the DPP in the Republic is reviewing a policy of not giving reasons for his decisions and is to discuss the development with his lawyer.

The victim was shot dead by north Down loyalists in May 1976 close to his Dundalk home after being picked up in a car. Four suspects were quizzed by the RUC in 1998, but the Ulster DPP decided not to prosecute. Counterparts in the Republic concurred with the decision.

“We would be keen to get as much information as we can about the case,” Mr Sharkey said.

“We have our suspicions about why the case was dropped but we would like some answers from the DPP.

“Two of those questioned made admissions of involvement, although they contradicted each other, and we know that cases have been taken in the past on the basis of admissions.”

There have been a string of inquiries into the killing after the original 1976 Garda investigation failed to yield results.

The Irish parliament’s justice committee is considering alleged failings in the police’s handling of the matter, based on a review by Irish Justice Henry Barron, made public last year.

Investigating officer Superintendent John Courtney says he requested permission to interview suspects named by the RUC in 1979 but was refused authority to go north.

Irish Independent

Jason Bennetto
24 February 2006

DETECTIVES in Britain are investigating possible links between a record £50m (€73m) cash heist in Kent and the Northern Bank raid in Belfast.

Both raids bore remarkable similarities.

They were carried out with military precision; both involved the kidnapping of family members of high-level staff with access to keys; and police believe both took place with “inside” help.

A record £2m reward was offered yesterday for the recovery of the banknotes and capture of the raiders who carried out the heist at the Securitas cash warehouse in Tonbridge, Kent on Wednesday.

The gang were described as a team of “top-level” criminals and Kent Police said yesterday they feared some of them may have already fled to Europe via the Channel Tunnel.

Assistant chief constable Adrian Leppard said an alert had gone out to all points of entry, footage from CCTV was being examined, and police forces abroad had been contacted in the hunt for the gang.

He also said Kent Police were in contact with police in the North to investigate links with the £26m Northern Bank robbery in Belfast in 2004.

Staff at the Securitas warehouse are being investigated by police who believe the robbers almost certainly had “inside” help in the raid.

The gang took between £25m and £50m in cash.

Two people - a man and a woman - were arrested last night in connection with the robbery. They were being held at undisclosed police stations and will be questioned today on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery.

BN.ie

24/02/2006 - 07:42:36

The family of murdered Dublin man Joseph Rafferty will reportedly be invited to meet US President George W Bush at the White House on St Patrick’s Day.

Mr Rafferty, a 29-year-old father-of-one, was shot dead last April in the Ongar housing estate in west Dublin as part of a family feud.

His sisters claim he was killed by a former member of the IRA and want Sinn Féin to pressure the man into giving himself up.

They have already mounted a campaign for justice inspired by the sisters of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney.

The McCartneys, who met Mr Bush at the White House on St Patrick’s Day last year, also claim an IRA man was behind their brothers’ killing and have accused the republican movement of doing nothing to help bring those responsible to justice.

BN.ie

23/02/2006 - 17:34:54

The Government is being of accused of failing to respond properly to an investigation by the Council of Europe into CIA flights.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern have consistently quoted US diplomatic assurances that prisoners have never been transported through Shannon Airport for torture in other countries.

However, Amnesty International says this stance is not credible, is insufficient and is lacking in detail.

Spokesperson Fiona Crowley said this afternoon that the Council of Europe needs more information from Ireland.

“Amnesty would be disappointed that Ireland has responded to this formal questionnaire to the Council of Europe stating that it has fully met its obligations simply by relying on the assurances from the US government.

“We’re also concerned at the lack of detail in the Government’s response and we don’t believe that the information supplied in its response is sufficient to allow the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to make a full and thorough assessment of whether Ireland is in fact meeting its obligations,” she said.

BN.ie

23/02/2006 - 18:53:40

Up to 50 animal-rights activists tonight picketed the Dáil to call for dog-breeding regulations to outlaw puppy farms.

The protest was organised by Dog Training Ireland and supported by the ISPCA, the Irish Kennel Club, The Dogs Trust and the National Stray Dogs and Cats Forum.

A petition containing over 2,500 signatures was delivered to Minister for the Environment Dick Roche.

The protestors want the Control of Dogs Act 1986 to be amended to regulate dog breeding.

“There are currently no protections for dogs which are used for mass breeding,” a spokesperson for Dog Training Ireland said.

“These dogs are being used for profits in the cruellest way.”

Former minister for the environment Martin Cullen set up a working group on the issue in 2003.

However, the group failed to agree on the best form of regulation and Mr Roche ordered an additional period of public consultation.

Mr Roche’s spokesman added: “The minister is considering new proposals and will make a decision as soon as possible. He agrees that regulation is needed in the sector.”

The Dog Training Ireland spokesperson added: “Many dogs and puppies continue to suffer and die in appalling conditions on Irish puppy farms.”

BBC

Postal workers’ representatives met with Royal Mail

The postal workers union and Royal Mail have held what they have both described as “constructive” talks on Thursday.

The meeting took place after the Communications Workers Union said it had authorised a ballot of its members in Belfast on official strike action.

Afterwards, a union representative said that he was hopeful enough progress had been made to avoid a ballot being held.

Royal Mail said both parties “are equally resolved to moving forward”. More talks are expected on Friday.

“It was a constructive meeting and we have made good progress on selecting a third party to look at employee and industrial relations within Royal Mail in Belfast,” the company said.

Thursday’s talks had been arranged at the end of the unofficial strike action by postal workers.

Workers at Royal Mail’s depot at Tomb Street in Belfast began an unofficial strike on 31 January after staff alleged harassment by managers.

Royal Mail denied the claims.

The strike ended on 17 February when Royal Mail reached an agreement with the Communication Workers Union.

The Communications Workers Union had accused Royal Mail of going back on the deal struck last week to end the unofficial industrial action.

CWU spokesperson Eoin Davey said Royal Mail were refusing to give unlimited overtime to workers who were out on strike.

He claimed that postal workers who were out on strike were being “victimised” and “treated differently” from their work colleagues who did not join the action.

In a statement on Thursday, the company said it still had not been informed that any ballot was taking place.

Gary Crawford, director of personnel for Royal Mail in Northern Ireland, said on Thursday: “As far as we are concerned, we are getting on with the business of what we agreed to do.”