SAOIRSE32

Daily Ireland

Editor: Colin O’Carroll
11/04/2006

It’s unlikely that the mooted SDLP leadership challenge of former party vice-chairman Eddie Espie will come to much, but if nothing else the extraordinary rift that has opened up between the senior SDLP figure and party bosses is indicative of unease within the party at the direction it’s taking.
Mr Espie said this week that he’s unhappy at what he sees as the party’s failure to engage with people “on the streets”. He was joined in that analysis by former Belfast lord mayor and SDLP chairman Martin Morgan, who has backed Mr Espie’s leadership charge. Mr Morgan left the party in acrimonious circumstances, and he now rails against what he sees as the party’s failure to give him support as he maintained a lonely party presence on the streets of north Belfast during some of the worst days of parades-connected unrest.
While it’s undoubtedly the case that some SDLP members can be found working at the coal face of interface confrontation, it is also the case that for most SDLP members taking to the streets does not come easily. There is a perception within the party – a relic of its middle-class professional roots perhaps – that street activism is for agitators and extremists. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course, because as we have seen in the past few years, decisive and courageous action by nationalist politicians on the front line has helped keep the lid on some very dangerous situations.
Mr Espie has placed the blame for the SDLP’s recent electoral setbacks firmly at the door of the leadership which he said eschewed “bold, imaginative and radical initiatives” in favour of policies that were “old, staid [and] blue-moulded”. In a particular barbed comment, he described some of his current colleagues as “Castle Catholics”.
Clearly what we’re seeing acted out here is the shuddering jolt of the collision between old-style SDLP politics and the neo-republican agenda that the party has decided it must follow if it is to claw back support. Just as many party members are aghast at the idea of standing at the PSNI lines in advance of flashpoint confrontations, so many are decidedly uncomfortable at having been ordered to wrap the green flag round themselves.
That a confrontation should develop between the party leadership and two members who might reasonably be described as being on the party’s radical side is not entirely surprising. When parties are forced to adjust and realign in response to electoral setbacks, people tend to get jumpy. Mr Espie and Mr Morgan are frustrated at the slow pace of change – there are probably more within the party who are concerned at how quickly that change is proceeding.
The SDLP has lost some very capable and high-profile people in recent months and years and it can ill-afford to lose people with the passion of Eddie Espie and the youth and vigour of Martin Morgan.

Belfast Telegraph

By Brian Rowan
11 April 2006

Paramilitary leaders are still working on a plan to oust one of the UDA’s so-called “brigadiers” in Belfast.

Senior members are discussing how to end the ‘reign’ of Ihab Shoukri, the organisation’s alleged leader in north Belfast.

However, sources have told the Belfast Telegraph they are keen to avoid bloodshed.

“The situation has become impossible,” a senior source observed.

“It has to be put right, but how that happens, no one is quite sure yet.”

The UDA Inner Council - its overall leadership - did not meet yesterday, but will do so “soon”.

Shoukri is seen as the most destabilising influence within the organisation since Johnny Adair, and some sources are predicting a similar end in that the north Belfast brigadier will eventually be forced out.

Last night a source posed this question: “How dangerous is it when you corner a rat?”

“Hopefully things can be brought about in a peaceful way, but it all depends on common sense prevailing.

“If you do the right thing the wrong way, it’s going to be frowned upon,” the source said.

The dilemma for the organisation is how to remove Shoukri and his associates without the use of force.

Last month, the UDA in north Belfast was accused of embarrassing the organisation when police disrupted a planned show of strength by Shoukri’s associates.

“We are trying to show everybody that there are genuine people (within the UDA) who want to go where we need to go,” a senior paramilitary source said.

“It (the north Belfast situation) has to be sorted out once and for all.”

Johnny Adair’s associates were driven out of the lower Shankill in February 2003, when he challenged the overall leadership of the UDA.

Now, there are strong hints that the Inner Council will move to assert its authority over Shoukri and those closest to him, and a prediction that the leadership will once again win this latest internal battle.

“Well, they have carried everything else,” the source observed - meaning that no individual will be allowed to be bigger than the overall organisation.

The concern is that Shoukri may not go quietly.

Belfast Telegraph

By Linda McKee
11 April 2006

The mother of two champion Irish dancers told today how they were rushed to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning following a suspected gas leak at a Belfast hotel.

The young performers had just arrived from the USA and were due to perform in the prestigious World Irish Dancing Championships at the Waterfront Hall.

Two girls from a second family were also believed to have been hospitalised following the incident.

Eileen Hobson, from Tooland, Connecticut, told today how she watched as her son and daughter passed out in front of her, overcome by fumes in their room at the Ramada Hotel.

Son Tim (15), and daughter Sarah (19), are regular contenders at the World Irish Dancing Championships, but will have to withdraw this year and return home.

“I felt I was unwell and nauseous,” Eileen said.

“My son collapsed and fell against the door of the room. I felt like I was passing out.

“I couldn’t open the door because my son was lying against it.”

Eileen said she alerted hotel staff and the family were rushed to casualty at Belfast City Hospital. She was full of praise for the “exemplary care” the family received there.

The Ramada Hotel did not comment.

RTÉ

11 April 2006 14:22

The Democratic Unionist Party is to end its 16-year boycott of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body.

The party will send a delegation to the organisation’s meeting in Killarney, Co Kerry, later this month.

The BIIPB comprises parliamentarians from all parts of Britain and Ireland and was set up after the Anglo Irish Agreement. However, unionists have consistently shunned the body.

The DUP decision to send a delegation, headed by Deputy Leader Peter Robinson, will be seen as evidence of a further thaw in the party’s attitude in advance of next month’s meeting of the reconvened Stormont Assembly.

BN.ie

11/04/2006 - 11:49:09

The Democratic Unionist Party was today accused of being more fixated on securing peerages than tackling real issues affecting their Assembly constituents.

On the day when three DUP members including Ian Paisley’s wife Eileen became the party’s first working life peers, Sinn Féin general secretary Mitchel McLaughlin said it was absurd the party had spent its time in the lead position within unionism lobbying the British government for seats in the House of Lords.

The Foyle Assembly member said: “It says much about the attitude of the DUP that they have spent their time lobbying for what will be seen as privileges for their own members rather than working with the rest of the parties in re-establishing the political institutions to tackle issues of real concern to communities such as water charges or health and education cuts.

“It is my belief that many within unionism will be at a loss to see how the DUP demands for seats in the British House of Lords will impact positively on their lives.

“Yet if the DUP finally move to accept power sharing institutions in line with the Good Friday Agreement they will have the opportunity to exercise real power and make real decisions, which will make a real difference to people’s lives.

“That remains our focus in the time ahead. We will not allow ourselves to become distracted from the real business at hand. That is delivering the Agreement and the institutions which people voted for eight years ago.”

The British government confirmed today that Eileen Paisley, DUP chairman Maurice Morrow and Belfast Lord Mayor Wallace Browne would be the first members of the party to take seats in the House of Lords.

Since emerging as the North’s largest party in the 2003 Assembly elections, the DUP has argued for peerages, claiming it was unfair the Ulster Unionists had, prior to today’s appointments, eight representatives in the House of Lords while the larger unionist party had none.

The UUP’s tally increased to nine today with former party leader David Trimble also made a working life peer.

DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson welcomed the honour bestowed on his three colleagues, saying Paisley, Browne and Morrow richly deserved their new titles.

However he insisted more needed to be done by the British government to address the under-representation of the DUP in the upper chamber.

“The House of Lords plays a vital role in the legislative process of the United Kingdom,” the East Belfast MP said.

“Its membership continues to play a valuable function in scrutinising and amending government bills introduced in the House of Commons and itself is now more heavily involved than ever in introducing legislation from the Lords into the Commons.

“This announcement finally recognises the mandate of the Democratic Unionist Party.

“For years the party was consistently overlooked on the issue of membership of the House of Lords while other parties, many of whom had smaller mandates, had more members in their ranks from the Upper House than elected representatives.

“The decision to elevate Eileen, Maurice, and Wallace is but a first step in redressing the balance of DUP under-representation in the Lords.”

BN.ie

11/04/2006 - 13:25:35

Middle ranking gardaí today voted against co-operating with the ‘hobby bobbies’ of the proposed Garda Reserve.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) had appealed for strong support for its policy of non-co-operation to strengthen its hand in negotiations with Justice Minister Michael McDowell, who is planning to begin recruitment for the volunteer force in the coming months.

But at its annual conference in Killarney, members voted by a slim 55% majority (71 votes to 58) to approve the non-cooperation policy.

There had been complaints from delegates opposed to the motion that the association’s national executive had not explained how a policy of non-co-operation would work.

There was overwhelming support for the two less controversial motions on the Reserve, which called on Mr McDowell to withdraw the proposal due to a lack of resources and due to the lack of training facilities and risk to health and safety.

During the two-hour debate on the motions, delegates expressed doubts about the calibre of people who would join the Reserve.

Sergeant Eddie Murphy from the Dublin South Central Division said it would attract a mixed grill of do-gooders and messianic zealots.

He said delegates should be strongly opposed to allowing in ‘Playstation Cops’.

“It is sabotage. It’s a thundering disgrace,” he said.

Sergeant Diarmuid O’Shea from the Kerry division said the Reserve force would dilute the authority of the force.

“Tell the minister why we need 4,000 extra gardaí, not 4,000 hobby-bobbies,” he said.

The vote for non-co-operation is a blow to Justice Minister Michael McDowell, who had warned the AGSI they would be breaking the law if they fail to comply with the Reserve voted through in the Criminal Justice Bill.

But if the Garda Representative Association also votes not to co-operate with the Reserve at its conference next month, it will make the introduction of the volunteer force virtually impossible.

Sergeant Paul McDermott from Roscommon/Galway East told AGSI delegates that the introduction of the Reserve was putting the cart before the horse.

He said his rural station had just two gardaí on duty to cover a whole district at weekends.

“Until we’re properly resourced, we shouldn’t accept this reserve,” he said.

Sergeant Larry Brady from the Dublin North Central division questioned how up to 4,000 recruits to the Reserve could be trained at a time when the Garda College in Templemore was pre-occupied with the expansion of the force.

“Our in-service training people are put to the pin of their collar to keep up with training as it stands. Who is going to train our Reserve?”

Police are planning to put officers on horseback

Police are planning to put their officers on horseback to fight crime in Northern Ireland.

The move is aimed at tackling crime in the Belfast, Castlereagh and Lisburn areas.

Two horses, on loan from the Irish police, are to be used over two days to patrol Belvoir estate and Dundonald in an effort to curb a rise in crime.

In the coming months, two horses from the garda’s mounted unit will come to Northern Ireland for a week at a time.

In recent months, PSNI officers have travelled to Dublin to train with the Irish mounted police.

Mounted patrols

Superintendent Peter Farrar said the horses and their two PSNI riders will be employed in a full range of mounted patrol duties.

“The gardai have about 16 horses, the Met have about 120 horses, it’s a massive investment,” he said.

“Now, the community is saying to us, ‘yes this is what normalised policing should look like, yes this is what a normalised society should look like - then why not’.”

However, the chairman of Castlereagh District Policing Partnership, Jimmy Spratt, said mounted patrols were “a stunt”.

Mr Spratt, a DUP councillor in Castlereagh, described it as a “ridiculous initiative”.

“It is a two-day stunt. I cannot describe it as other than that,” he said.

“I was absolutely appalled and, indeed, other members of the district police partnership were also appalled at the police even suggesting such a stunt.”

After an 80-year absence, mounted police patrols returned to Northern Ireland two years ago.

Times Online

By Andrew Norfolk
April 11, 2006

A YOUNG British peace activist who died after being shot in the head by an Israeli soldier was “intentionally killed”, an inquest jury ruled yesterday.

Five days before he was fatally injured, Tom Hurndall, 22, wrote in his journal that he had been “shot at, gassed, chased by soldiers, had sound grenades thrown within metres of me, been hit by falling debris and been in the way of a 10-tonne D9 [bulldozer] that didn’t stop.

“It took a huge amount of will to continue. I wondered what it would be like to be shot, and strangely I wasn’t too scared,” he wrote, adding that he knew that an Israeli sniper could be targeting him at any moment.

“The certainty is that they are watching, and it is in the decision of any one Israeli soldier or settler that my life depends. I know that I’d probably never know what hit me, but it’s part of the job to be as visible as possible.”

Mr Hurndall, from North London, was trying to lead children out of the line of fire in Gaza when he was targeted by an Israeli army marksman, who had a rifle with a telescopic sight. The peace activist was wearing a bright orange jacket to identify him as a civilian volunteer.

His mother, Jocelyn Hurndall, wept yesterday at a London coroner’s court as she read extracts from his journal.

The inquest, at St Pancras Coroner’s Court, heard that Mr Hurndall, a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, was in Gaza with the International Solidarity Movement.

He died from his injuries after spending nine months in a coma after the April 2003 shooting in the Palestinian town of Rafah. The activist’s father, Antony Hurndall, a City lawyer, told the hearing that on the day of the shooting, his son and other activists had been trying to block Israeli tanks that were shooting randomly into local houses.

Mr Hurndall, his father said, noticed that bullets were hitting the ground near a group of 10-15 children who were playing on a mound of sand. Most fled but some were paralysed by fear. “Tom went to take one girl out of the line of fire, which he did successfully, but when he went back, as he knelt down to (collect another) he was shot.”

Mr Hurndall said the Israeli authorities initially claimed that his son had been shot during a return of fire with a gunman. “They just lied continuously. It was a case of them shooting civilians and then making up a story. And they were not used to being challenged.”

A campaign by the Hurndall family led to Taysir Hayb, a former sergeant in the Israeli Defence Force, being sentenced last year to eight years in prison after being convicted of manslaughter by a military court. Israeli authorities declined to take part in the inquest.

The jury of five men and five women ruled that Mr Hurndall “was shot intentionally with the intention of killing him”, and voiced its “dismay with the lack of co-operation from the Israeli authorities”.

Three weeks after Mr Hurndall’s shooting, a British cameraman James Miller, 34, was also shot and killed in Rafah. An inquest at the same coroner’s court last week resulted in a verdict that Mr Miller, who was filming a documentary about Palestinian children in Gaza, was deliberately and unlawfully killed. The coroner, Dr Andrew Reid, who presided over both inquests, said yesterday that he would be writing to the Attorney-General to see whether any further legal action could be taken over the deaths of the two Britons.

Michael Mansfield, QC, representing Mr Hurndall’s parents, said yesterday that they were delighted. “This has been a long and harrowing struggle for them in their search for the truth. Today is a vindication of that struggle,” he said. “Make no mistake about it, the Israeli Defence Force have today been found culpable by this jury of murder.”

Sinn Féin

Published: 10 April, 2006

Sinn Féin Assembly member Gerry Kelly today said that a report in yesterdays Sunday Business Post newspaper alleging that a former PSNI detective was involved along with a Sunday World journalist in the location and outing of Denis Donaldson’s whereabouts in Donegal raised very serious issues for the PSNI to address.

Mr Kelly said:

“We are told in yesterdays Sunday Business Post newspaper that the man who led the Sunday World to Denis Donaldson’s home in Donegal and who secretly filmed him there was a former RUC member called Colin Breen. Shortly after the Sunday World exposure, Denis Donaldson was killed.

“Given the role played by Special Branch in Denis Donaldson’s life over the course of many years the revelation of the involvement of Colin Breen in this story is extremely sinister. It is clear that the PSNI Special Branch now have very serious questions to answer about their role in publicising Denis Donaldson‚s whereabouts.” ENDS

BBC

Security forces could have prevented an attack in which a policewoman was killed, a former “IRA bomb-maker and Special Branch informer” has claimed.

Colleen McMurray died when the IRA launched a mortar attack on a police patrol in Newry in March, 1992.

Her colleague, Paul Slane, lost his legs in the attack.

The man, who now calls himself Kevin Fulton, told the BBC Hardtalk programme that Special Branch “knew enough to be able to prevent the attack”.

Mr Fulton, who admitted making the fatal explosive device, said his police “handlers” knew its destination but he did not.

Asked if he felt responsible for Ms McMurray’s death, he said he “did not” and “would not” have pressed the button.

Mr Fulton said Special Branch officers knew who had the “doodle-bug”.

“They knew the car. They knew how it was going to be triggered,” he said.

“They should have had that person under surveillance.”

Mr Fullton also said he was “not surprised” when Sinn Fein official and British agent Denis Donaldson was murdered last week.