SAOIRSE32

Derry Journal

05 January 2007

SINN FEIN must report all criminal activity - including the movements of dissident republicans - should the party pledge its full support to the PSNI, DUP MP Gregory Campbell has insisted.

Speaking to the ‘Journal’, the East Derry MP warned Sinn Fein “there are no halfway houses” in supporting law and order in the North.
Confirming that he is not the DUP MP at the centre of fears of a Real IRA or Continuity IRA assassination attempt, Mr. Campbell suggested that Sinn Fein work with the police to stamp out any remaining republican paramilitary threat.
When asked if he would call on Sinn Fein to report dissident activity to the police, he replied: “That will be a part of our test for them after the Ard Fheis, we have a series of things to put into practice to test them to see if their support for policing means anything.
“They can’t turn a blind eye on criminals because they are former colleagues,” he said.
And that applies to all crime in the republican community. In particular, Mr. Campbell said that Sinn Fein must finger anyone known to be behind fuel laundering and similar crimes, as well as reporting the killers of Belfast man Robert McCartney who was murdered in January, 2005.
“There are other similar issues to be raised after the Ard Fheis. We have said all along that it’s one thing for Sinn Fein to say they support the police but it doesn’t mean anything until we see action on the ground.
“From the very next day (after Sinn Fein pledge support for the police] people from places like Shantallow, the Bogside and other places will say it doesn’t mean very much if Sinn Fein turn the other way to joyriding, glue sniffing or someone being shot in the legs.
“They must work with the police and help them to solve crime, that’s the logical follow-on if they say they support the police,” added the MP.
Meanwhile there were fears earlier this week that dissident republicans may be planning to assassinate a senior DUP politician in the coming few weeks in an attempt to derail the peace process.
Members of the republican movement are concerned that Real and Continuity IRA elements will carry out an attack before Sinn Fein can hold its special Ard Fheis.
The PSNI has been made aware of a possible dissident threat to one DUP MP and has conducted a security review of the politician’s personal arrangements.
However, Mr. Campbell has confirmed that the MP in question is not him. “I haven’t been notified about anything so I take it that it wasn’t me the reports referred to.”

Derry Journal

05 January 2007

A DERRY animal shelter has been so swamped by stray dogs after Christmas it’s appealing for volunteers to help walk abandoned pooches.

The Rainbow Animal Shelter in Eglinton says every available space is used up and it’s had to send several dogs to kennels elsewhere - forcing the charity’s monthly costs up by a whopping £1,540.
Speaking about the annual scourge of people abandoning Christmas pets, spokeswoman Helen Davis said: “People are still seen throwing dogs out of cars to abandon them but they should contact ourselves or Derry City Council’s dog pound. The pound might put the animals down after six days but either way it is kinder than leaving them on the streets.”
Helen said the centre had been inundated with callers reporting unwanted or stray animals.
“Normally we receive five calls a day regarding unwanted animals or strays but since Christmas we would almost deal with that number every hour.
“We are dealing with a lot more strays than usual which has placed us under added pressure as we just don’t have the room. We have had to ask local kennels to take some of our dogs, although they can’t take those which haven’t been vaccinated. This is costing us £10 per dog per day and we currently have six dogs kennelled.”
The centre can cater for a maximum of 23 dogs and, Helen revealed: “As we have reached the limit we have one dog living in a bathroom and one living in reception!”
The Rainbow Animal Shelter rehomes 500 dogs and cats annually. The staff of 12 volunteers and part-time workers are currently working at full capacity and relying on extra volunteers to help walk the dogs.
Helen said: “If anyone has a few hours they could spare over their holidays to walk the dogs it would make a big difference.”
She also appealed to anyone thinking of adopting a cat to consider choosing one of the many adult cats housed at the Rainbow shelter.
“It can be difficult to rehome adult cats as people prefer kittens, but we have many who are trained to use a litter tray already.
“Our dogs are also all neutered, microchipped, wormed and de-flead also.”
If you can spare a few hours or are seeking to adopt a pet then the Rainbow Animal Shelter can be contacted on 028 71 812882 or on www.rainbowrehoming.com/adopt

BN.ie

05/01/2007 - 11:19:20

Calls for a public inquiry into the first garda officer killed in the Troubles were today backed by the widow of murdered garda Jerry McCabe.

Republican splinter group Saor Eire was blamed for shooting garda Richard Fallon during an armed robbery in Dublin in April 1970.

However, unexpected public support by Ann McCabe today boosted a long-running campaign for a public inquiry by bereaved relatives of garda Fallon.

The 43-year-old later became the first member of the force to be posthumously awarded the Scott Gold Medal for bravery.

Mrs McCabe, whose husband Jerry also received the Scott medal after his death, said: “I would certainly support the Fallon family in their campaign. They deserve our support and they would have my 100% support.

“The family has been a long time looking for answers and any law-abiding citizen has a right to the truth.”

Det. garda McCabe was shot dead in a botched armed robbery by IRA members in Adare, Co Limerick in 1996.

Garda Fallon’s youngest son Finian has threatened to return his father’s Scott medal if he is not granted a public inquiry into the murder.

The father-of-five was the first garda to be killed in the Republic during the Troubles.

He was part of a three-man mobile patrol that went to investigate an alarm at the Royal Bank on Arran Quay in the capital.

Three activists of the now-defunct Saor Eire organisation later went on trial for the murder but were acquitted.

Mr Fallon said today: “It is my belief that something untoward went on in relation to the murder of my father and the Irish Government is hiding the truth to this day.”

A month after garda Fallon’s murder, Taoiseach Jack Lynch sacked Minister for Finance Charles Haughey and Minister for Agriculture Neil Blaney over accusations of illegally importing arms for use by the IRA. Local Government Minister Kevin Boland later resigned in sympathy with his colleagues.

Mr Fallon and Mrs McCabe are both members of the Garda Survivors’ Support Association which was formed in 2005 by relatives of gardaí killed in the line of duty.

Two of the four IRA men who killed Garda McCabe – Jeremiah Sheehy and Pearse McAuley lost a bid last month to be released under the Good Friday Agreement.

Relatives and gardaí attended a prayer service in Limerick’s Henry Street garda station last June to mark the tenth anniversary of Garda McCabe’s death in 1996.

He was the 29th garda to be killed since the foundation of the State.

The killing sparked outrage and more than 40,000 people attended his funeral.

Belfast Telegraph

By Ashleigh Wallace
Friday, January 05, 2007

Belfast was last night named as the sixth healthiest city in the UK in a poll conducted to unearth the areas where people are most likely to stick to their New Year’s Resolutions.

Commissioned to mark the launch of Sky Travel’s new weight-loss programme X- Weighted - starting tonight - the poll names Brighton as Britain’s healthiest city.

Bristol came runner-up with London, Cardiff and Nottingham making the top five.

And Belfast came sixth in the poll, ahead of nine other cities including Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool.

The research examined 19 indicators of healthy living across 15 cities, including how many residents eat five portions of fruit and veg a day and the highest number of personal trainers per capita.

Those polled were also asked if they cycled or walked to work and how much they spent on leisure activities and sporting equipment.

The study was undertaken by a team of researchers headed by statistician Dr Geoff Ellis over a two-month period.

The criteria was designed to reflect the three key factors which determine fitness and healthy eating.

An aggregate score for each city was reached, with Brighton topping the poll at 13.19. Belfast scored a total of 2.59, with last-place Liverpool scoring -15.59.

BBC

An annual commemoration of a massacre 31 years ago in south Armagh will take place without any politicians invited.

Ten Protestant workmen were killed in 1976 Kingsmill massacre

Ten Protestant workmen were shot by the IRA in the Kingsmill massacre near Bessbrook on 5 January 1976. Two people survived the attack.

Willie Fraser of victims group Fair said many felt the current negotiations with Sinn Fein were a step too far.

“We know no final decision has been taken yet, but some of the families feel let down,” he said.

“They would prefer that politicians weren’t invited, so at their wish we didn’t invite any this time to speak at it.”

Among those attending last year’s service were DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson and Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy.

An Phoblacht

BY MICHELLE BOYLE
4 January 2007

The start of the Tan War is generally put down as 21 January 1919, when a group of Volunteers led by Sean Treacy, took part in an ambush in Soloheadbeg, County Tipperary. However for many years in the Rosses in West Donegal, people have believed differently as 12 months prior to the attack in Soloheadbeg, a daring ambush took place in a sleepy area nestled between Donegal’s sweeping hills.

Amongst tens of thousands of Irish men serving in the British Army in France and Belgium during the First World War, were two Rosses men, James Duffy and James Ward. In 1917 both men returned home on leave to realise, in the aftermath of the 1916 Rising and the execution of the leaders, that they were fighting on the wrong side. Both men joined the local Irish Volunteers company.

On New Year’s Eve 1917 the local RIC received information that the two deserters that they were pursuing were at a dance in Kincasslagh. They surrounded the hall and arrested and handcuffed both men. The two prisoners were detained in nearby Burtonport barracks. On 4 January 1918, Sergeant Shaw from the Beresford Regiment in Derry accompanied by eight RIC officers arrived to convey the prisoners to Derry where they would be court martialled and executed for desertion.

With time to spare, the officers took a local publican’s offer of a drink. Aware of plans by the Volunteers to rescue the prisoners, he was trying to stall the RIC. The train departed with prisoners on board but two Volunteers ran along the railway track ahead of the train to Meenbanad Station and hid close by until the train was approaching.

It was fair day in nearby Dungloe and the platform at Meenbanad Railway Station was thronged. Four miles after the journey had commenced the train pulled up at the platform and the RIC started to load up.

As someone shouted ‘open-fire’, the soldiers feared an attack but didn’t know from where, their vision limited with so many people on the platform. Three volunteers jumped onto the train while six others on the platform overpowered and disarmed the military escort. Onboard the train the volunteers moved quickly through the carriages to arrive at the carriage in which the prisoners were held. The prisoners were freed and disappeared into the mass of people.

At a local house their handcuffs were cut with steel cutters. The escapees were split up and departed the area. James Ward made his escapee within hours of his release. By the time James Duffy was to leave the area, the scene had changed enormously. British forces began a widespread search, drafting in reinforcements from nearby RIC stations while they awaited further troops from Derry by train. A decision was taken that Duffy should lie low until the escape could be made without fear of re-capture.

Eventually the crown forces surrounded a local co-op where Duffy and local Volunteers had congregated. The sergeant entered the building but didn’t find Duffy who stood only a few feet away. The premises were thoroughly searched and all wooden crates were stabbed with bayonets. Frustrated with not finding anything the Sergeant turned at the door and leaned on a wooden crate next to him issuing a severe warning to the people of the area. Unknown to him James Duffy was inside the crate he was leaning on. When the coast was clear, Duffy re-appeared.

Fearing the recapture of their comrade the Volunteers moved him to a nearby house. They constructed a tunnel over 100 yards in length from the house to the centre of a tree-enclosed garden. The RIC surrounded the house during the night. Duffy lowered himself down the tunnel and made his escape. The woman of the house then covered the mouth of the tunnel and with an old heather brush had brushed some turf mould over the escape route, making it unnoticeable. While the soldiers stood around the house James Duffy had made his escape, right under their feet. After this incident Sergeant Shaw received the final insult when he was court-martialled and taken down a rank.

A monument to commemorate this action was erected at the main road close to the railway station in 1968. The inscription reads: ‘To commemorate the first action in the Tan War when the Irish Volunteers rescued two comrades James Duffy and James Ward from British Troops at this place on 4 January 1918.’

An Phoblacht

The following is the text of a New Year’s message supplied to An Phoblacht this week by the leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann:

“The leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann sends New Year greetings to our friends and supporters at home and abroad. We send best wishes, especially to republican prisoners and their families. We commend all those working for the early release of those prisoners and urge them to continue in their efforts.

“We remain committed to our republican objectives and we support all those, especially our comrades in Sinn Féin, working for those goals.

“Over the past twelve months republicans have celebrated and commemorated with dignity and pride, the lives and sacrifices of those who died on Hunger Strikes.

“On this the 50th anniversary of the deaths, on active service, of our comrades Seán Sabhat and Fergal O’Hanlon we remember their sacrifice and that of all those comrades who fought or died during the Border Campaign.

“We remain firmly committed to our objective of a free, united and independent Irish republic. We believe that our political objectives can now be achieved by political means and we will continue to pursue this course with energy in the year ahead.

“We salute the commitment and discipline of IRA Volunteers and that of the republican activist base. The determination and unity that have sustained us all thus far are required now more than ever.

“There are big challenges to be faced in the time ahead, republicans will not shy away from these challenges. We are very conscious that progress requires everyone to take risks.

“A heavy responsibility rests on political leaders to make politics work so that conflict remains firmly in the past. We have demonstrated our commitment to this approach. We urge all others to do the same.”

“Gabhann ceannasaíocht Óglaigh na hÉireann beannachtaí na hathbhliana lenár gcairde agus lenár lucht tacaíochta in Éireann agus i gcéin.

“Gabhaimid deá-mhianta, ach go áiríthe le priosúnaigh poblachta agus a dteaghlaigh. Molaimid iad siúd go léir atá ag obair ar son scaoileadh saor luath na gcimí sin agus iarraimid orthú leansteán ar aghaidh lená n-iarrachtaí.

Tá muid comhthiománta agus a bhíomar aríamh dár gcuspóirí poblachtacha agus tacaímid leo siúd uilig, go háirithe ár gcomradaithe i Sinn Féin, atá ag obair chun na cuspóirí sin a bhaint amach.

“Le bliain anuas tá poblachtanaigh ag cuimhniú agus ag ceiliúradh le maorgacht agus le bród, beatha agus íobairt na daoine a fuair bás ar stailc ocrais.

“Ar ócáid seo an caogadú cuimhneachán ar bhás ár gcomradaithe Seán Sabhat agus Feargal O’hAnnluain ar fianas, cuimhnímís ar a n-íobairt agus ar íobairt na gcomradaithe uilig a sheas leo nó a fuair bás le linn Feachtas an Teorainn.

“Tá muid faoi cheangal buan de chuspóir poblacht Éireannach saor aontaithe agus neamhspleach creidimid gur féidir ár gcuspóirí polaitúla a bhaint amach anois le modhanna polaitúla agus leanfaimid orainn sa chúrsa seo le fuinneamh sa bhlian atá romhainn.

“Molaimid seasmhacht agus rialbhas gníomhaithe Óglaigh na hÉireann agus an bhonn leathán poblachtach gníomhach. Tá an aontacht agus an seasmhacht a sheas linn go léir chuige seo noís tabhachtaigh ná mar a bhi siad ríamh anall.

“Tá dushlann móra romhainn, níor umhalaigh poblachtanaigh roimhe na dushlann céanna. Tá se an soiléir dúinn nach féidir dul chun chinn a dhéanamh ach nuair atá an uile dhuinne toilteanach dul i bpriacal.

“Tá freagreacht trom ar ceannairí polaitúla cinntiú go n-oibríonn an pholaitíocht chun go bhfanann an coimhlint go buan san am atá caite.

“Tháispeanamar go bhfuil muid dlúite leis an chur chuige seo. Iarraimid ar dhoine eile amhlaidh a dhéanamh.”

P. O’Neill,

Irish Republican Publicity Bureau,

Dublin.

Belfast Telegraph

DCU commanders in charge of frontline policing unveiled after radical shake-up

By Jonathan McCambridge
Thursday, January 04, 2007

The senior police commanders who will shape the future of frontline policing in Northern Ireland can be revealed by the Belfast Telegraph today.

The PSNI is set to reduce the number of District Command Units in Northern Ireland from 29 to eight in response to the Review of Public Administration.

Following interviews held late last year, the PSNI has now drawn up a list of nine successful candidates to lead the eight newly enlarged policing areas.

This includes three serving Chief Superintendents and six Superintendents who have been deemed suitable.

Later this month the PSNI will appoint eight of them to the new DCUs. This means that one of the nine commanders will miss out.

Although the commanders have been informed they have been successful, they have not yet been designated particular districts in which they will serve. They will all carry the rank of chief superintendent.

Despite advertising across the UK and Ireland all of the successful candidates are serving PSNI officers.

A PSNI spokesman said: “There have been a number of candidates identified as being suitable for the position of DCU commander, but they have not yet been appointed.

“Eight new DCU commanders will be appointed to head the new planned DCU structure, but they are not expected to take up their posts until January.”

However, the Belfast Telegraph understands that officers have already been told the identity of the new DCU commanders.

They are:

* Gary White - currently district commander in north Belfast. Expected to stay in Belfast;

* Henry Irvine - the current east Belfast commander is also set to stay in the city;

* Stephen Grange - currently the south Belfast commander;

* Richard Russell - the Foyle district commander will be expected to stay in the north-west;

* George Hamilton - the only one of the eight new commanders who does not already control a DCU. He will be transferred from CID;

* Alan Todd - currently the PSNI commander in Craigavon;

* Graham Shields - the North Down commander will be expected to stay in Co Down;

* Will Kerr - recently took over as DCU commander in Newtownabbey;

* Michael Skuce - expected to stay in the west of the province, he currently commands Omagh DCU.

When the eight positions were first advertised last year, ACC Roy Toner said: “We envisage that there will be eight of these and we are now looking for officers of the right calibre, vision, professionalism and experience to lead them.”

Advertisements for the posts were placed in specialist police publications in both the UK and the Republic.

The announcement on which areas the officers will command is expected later this month.

Belfast Telegraph

By David McKittrick
Thursday, January 04, 2007

The Nazi past of Ireland’s foremost educational publisher is to be highlighted in a television programme to be broadcast on the state system, RTE, this month. The programme details the record of Albert Folens, a Belgian who after fleeing to Ireland following the war built up a highly successful business producing school textbooks.

Folens, who died in 2003 at 86, had not denied working for the Germans but minimised his part in the war. But his involvement with both the Gestapo and Waffen SS is to be revealed.

He was among a small number of Germans, Belgians and Dutch who arrived in the Irish Republic after 1945. Although some were suspected of having worked for Hitler, there was no determined official effort to weed them out.

Folens’ general sympathies were no secret, though the particulars of his role were not generally known.

He was, the programme says, a volunteer in the Waffen SS Flemish legion, serving on the eastern front until he was wounded. After treatment in an SS hospital, he joined the Gestapo, working at their Brussels headquarters, he claimed, as a translator.

His name is said to have appeared on the US Army’s Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, known as Crowcass. But Folens always denied any involvement in torture or inhumane treatment.

Arrested by the British Army in Germany, he was sentenced to 10 years after a military trial. But he escaped after 30 months and fled to the Republic, on a false passport. In Dublin, he worked as a teacher then set up a publishing company, producing textbooks and copybooks for generations of Irish children. The concern flourished and he became a well-known figure.

At the time of his death, a dissident Irish republican organisation paid tribute to him as “a big-hearted benefactor of republican prisoners during the 1970s and 1980s”, saying thousands of prisoners’ children had benefited from his generosity.

A sympathetic obituary of him in a Dublin newspaper said he had joined Hitler’s “Flemish Legion” - the 27th Freiwilligen Sturmbrigade Langemarck - for the specific task of fighting the Red Army. Another former Nazi lived in Belfast after the war. Werner Heubeck, a colourful businessman who had been a member of the Hitler Youth movement, and made no secret of his record, became managing director of the official transport company Ulsterbus.

His speciality during the Troubles, when many of his vehicles were set on fire and blown up, was to enter buses in which possible explosive devices had been placed. In many instances, he carried the devices off the vehicles.

Belfast Telegraph

By Chris Thornton
Thursday, January 04, 2007

Potential voters were reminded today that they have one week to make sure their names are on the electoral register for the March elections.

Most eligible adults are already registered - but almost one in five haven’t put their names down.

The thousands who are not registered still have the chance to do so before January 11.

The elections for a new Assembly are scheduled to take place eight weeks later, on March 7.

A February 15 deadline to apply for postal and proxy votes, as well as election IDs, is also looming.

Seamus Magee, the head of the Electoral Commission’s office in Northern Ireland, said: “This is a particularly busy time of year, but if people wish to vote in the forthcoming elections it’s important that they act now to ensure they’re able to vote come March 7 next year.

“There’s still time to register to vote as long as people do so before January 11.”

Applications for the register can be obtained by phoning 0800 0323 700 or by downloading from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.

When the final trawl for new voters was conducted last November, around 82,000 people failed to put their names back on the register.

Under a new system, voters will now only have to register once every 10 years.

The changes allow regular updating of the register, but only people in the voting pool on January 11 will be eligible to cast ballots on March 7.

The drop in the number of registered voters has raised concerns among politicians.

On average, the register fell by 7% in Northern Ireland constituencies last year. West Belfast was the worst hit, with a drop of more than 15%.

Alliance deputy leader, Naomi Long MLA, backed Mr Magee’s call for registration.

The East Belfast Assembly member stated: “Some people who are fed up with tribal timewasting and stagnation may not want to vote this time.

“By not voting or registering, they lose their voice and therefore don’t have a chance to change things here.

“People should realise that they can make a real difference in Northern Ireland if they vote. It is essential that they register to vote and play a role in their society.

“The absolute deadline for registration is January 11 and I would appeal to people to return their forms so that they can make their voice heard.”

BBC

The Catholic Church has agreed to help in a fresh appeal for information on the location of bodies of people killed and secretly buried by the IRA.

Police carried out searches in remote areas of the Republic

Archbishop Sean Brady said he had received the request for help from the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains.

The appeal will be published on church notice boards and parish bulletins in the archdiocese of Armagh this weekend.

Other dioceses will take part in a similar appeal later this month.

Nine people murdered and secretly buried by the IRA during the 1970s became known as the Disappeared.

The remains of four have been found, the latest in 2003.

IRA members involved in the killings have previously visited burial sites with a forensics expert.

‘Support’

In a letter to Archbishop Brady, the commission urged anyone with information on the location of the bodies to use the newly-created confidential telephone number or PO box address.

Archbishop Sean Brady said said he was happy to support the commission’s appeal.

“The families of the Disappeared ask for nothing more than the return of the bodies of their loved ones so that they can bury them with dignity,” he said.

The commission, which was set up in 1999, said its work was strictly non-political and was solely concerned with returning the victims’ remains to their families.

In its letter the commission said: “This current effort is a real opportunity to end the harrowing ordeal for the families and with this in mind, the commission appeals to anyone who has any information on any of the cases to contact them now.”

Earlier this week Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams called for anyone with information about the bodies to come forward.

He said he expected work to start this spring to implement the work of a government-appointed forensics expert.

Mr Adams said those involved must “have all the information possible to make their efforts a success”.

The commission’s confidential international telephone number is: 00800-55585500. The PO box address is ICLVR, PO Box 10827, Dublin 2.