SAOIRSE32

Belfast Telegraph

By Noel McAdam
Monday, November 19, 2007

The band at the centre of a controversial pre-Christmas city centre parade has told Belfast Lord Mayor Jim Rodgers: “You don’t speak for us.”

The first citizen - and senior Orange Order member - was ‘drummed out’ after calling on Pride of the Raven to postpone its planned protest parade on Saturday.

But band Secretary George Spence said: “He’s the Lord Mayor, fair enough, and has a right to his own views, but Jim Rodgers does not speak for the band or any member of it.

“We have had two meetings with Mr Rodgers and have walked away with nothing to show for it.”

The band is, however, seeking legal advice on its next move after the Parades Commission imposed restrictions on the parade to prevent any intimidation of the Chinese community in the Donegall Pass area.

Mr Spence said the main point of the parade had been to protest at the Commission. But the band had also been disgruntled after police passed an official form with Mr Spence’s name and address on it to Alliance South Belfast MLA Anna Lo.

Mr Rodgers appealed to the band to withdraw their application for next Saturday and apply again to the Commission in January.

“I do not believe the band means any offence, but traders in the city centre who do 40% of their annual business in the run up to Christmas are very concerned this parade would disrupt business at a time when many traders are struggling,” he said.

BBC

An inquest into the murder of ex-UDA leader Jim Gray is expected to take place in Belfast later.

Jim Gray was expelled from the UDA leadership in March 2005

The 47-year-old was shot outside his father’s home at Knockwood Park in the Clarawood estate in east Belfast in October 2005.

Seven people have been arrested in connection with the murder, but no-one has been charged.

The paramilitary had been living in the house with his father since being freed on bail on money laundering charges.

Gray was expelled from the UDA leadership in March 2005.

In April that year, just over a week after being expelled from the UDA leadership, he was stopped by police near Banbridge, County Down.

‘Drug dealing’

He was travelling in a car towards the Irish border and police suspected he was trying to leave the country.

The police found a bank draft for 10,000 euro and nearly £3,000 in cash in his car.

Gray claimed the money had come from the sale of two pubs in east Belfast.

However, police believed it was obtained through crime including extortion and drug dealing.

He was charged with money laundering and possessing the proceeds of crime and was remanded in custody.

As the police investigation continued, detectives seized more than 100,000 documents and raided council offices, planning offices and premises used by solicitors, estate agents and accountants.

Gray had a reputation for dressing flamboyantly and wearing heavy gold jewellery.

This earned him a number of derisory nicknames including ‘Doris Day’ and the ‘Brigadier of Bling’.

BN.ie

16/11/2007

Police in the North have warned the SDLP that all of the party’s elected representatives are under “immediate and serious” threat from loyalist paramilitaries.

The threat comes from a breakaway faction of the UDA in south-east Antrim that has been involved in a feud with the group’s mainstream leadership.

According to the SDLP, the police have serious intelligence that the threat is real and all party members have been informed of the situation.

The development is believed to be linked to a decision by Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie to withhold British Government funding from the UDA due to the group’s failure to decommission and end criminality.

Sunday Life

Compo shock for NIO

By Stephen Breen
Sunday, November 18, 2007

The wife of a former Provo gunman who was battered to death in a street fight has won a marathon legal fight to receive compensation.

Anne-Marie McCallion from Carnhill in Co Londonderry - whose husband Peter was killed in 1998 - was granted a judicial review over the Government’s refusal to award her a criminal injuries claim.

The mum-of-four first applied in February 1999 for compensation but her claim was rejected by the Compensations Agency because of her husband’s convictions for terrorism.

Peter McCallion was jailed for 18 years in 1978 for the attempted murder of a soldier and possession of weapons and explosives.

His widow urged the then Secretary of State Peter Mandelson to “use his discretion” and allow the compensation claim to proceed.

But after this was rejected she launched a legal challenge.

The 49-year-old’s appeal against Mr Mandelson’s decision was later dismissed by Government minister Paul Murphy in 2003. The widow then sought a judicial review on the grounds the decision had breached the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

She argued the decision was “irrational”, “unfair” and had “deprived” her of making representations.

Mrs McCallion claimed she had not been given reasons for the decision after it had been made.

But a High Court Judge has now quashed the decision, ruling: “On the basis of the evidence adduced before me, I conclude the minister in making his decision to refuse compensation took into account the international obligation imposed by article two of the UNCRC and his reasoning for concluding there was no breach cannot be accepted.”

Mr Justice Morgan said: “I further consider that there is an arguable case that the decision to refuse compensation is a breach of the convention. The arguments advanced on behalf of the minister are insufficient to establish that there was no such breach.

“Accordingly, I consider that the decision must be quashed.”

Mrs McCallion last night said she felt vindicated by the court’s decision.

“When I started all this I didn’t think it would last this long. There were times when I felt like throwing in the towel.

“I’m delighted the courts have accepted the arguments I have been making for almost 10 years. I also think this decision could open the floodgates for other people in the same situation as me.

“Madden and Finucane did all the work for me and I can’t thank them enough. This was not about the money, because no price can be put on a life. I was doing this for my children.”

Sinn Fein MLA Martina Anderson also welcomed the court’s ruling, adding: ” This is great news for Anne-Marie but also for other families of former political prisoners in similar situations.”

sbreen@belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Sunday Life

Sunday, November 18, 2007

The UDA’s so-called ‘inner council’ was last night at the centre of death threats from dissident loyalists.

Sunday Life can reveal cops warned the terror group’s six main leaders they were being actively targeted.

The figures under threat include Jackie McDonald and Billy ‘The Mexican’ McFarland.

A senior UDA source said the threats were being taken “seriously” and blamed drug dealers and criminals in south east Antrim.

Said the spokesman: “Police have visited the doors of the whole ‘inner council’ to warn them of an imminent attack. These people have stated their war is not over, so this is serious.

“We believe these threats are coming from a group within a group in south east Antrim. These people are not loyalists - they are criminals and drug dealers.

“We believe they’re a very small group of around 20 people who are heavily infiltrated by Special Branch.

“It is now evident that the security forces have the names and know the activities of these people.

“We also know that there are at least three more senior informants within their ranks.

“They are a group within a group and are only maintaining their position through a campaign of intimidation. It is now time for the authorities to act against these people.”

In a separate development, the rival UDA factions have clashed over who was to blame for making sinister threats against senior SDLP members.

A spokesman for the mainstream UDA claimed the threats were issued by their ex-comrades in south east Antrim.

Added the source: “These people are planning attacks on SDLP members to escalate violence under the guise of blaming the UDA. They also plan to shoot Protestants and blame it on dissident republicans.

“These people are capable of dirty tricks and it’s up to everyone in the community to root them out.”

But Tommy Kirkham, from the Beyond Conflict group, denied the claims, adding: “I received a personal warning from the PSNI on Thursday night that the mainstream UDA ‘inner council’ element was planning to kill me.

“I just wonder if it is also behind this threat to the SDLP too, in an attempt to blame the people I represent.

“I have assured Danny O’Connor of the SDLP that he is under no threat from the UDA in this area.”

Sunday Life

UDA thugs target immigrants in protection racket

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Evil UDA thugs are trying to create a new cash stream in north Belfast - by demanding £25 per head weekly ‘protection’ money from immigrants.

Sunday Life has learned of two alarming incidents where foreign national households were targeted by grasping hoods.

Words & Deeds: Colin Halliday and Jackie McDonald (right) read out a UDA statement last Sunday announcing the standing down of the UFF.

Both groups are so terrified they would not speak to us directly when we attempted to contact them last week.

But a local community leader revealed the monstrous demands had been made to people of both Polish and Lithuanian nationality.

One group, living on the Shore Road, were told they would have to pay £25 every week for each of the six people occupying a rented dwelling.

A similar demand was made to four people of Lithuanian nationality living less than two miles away.

The scandal comes just a week after UDA boss Jackie McDonald sent out a general order to all members not to be involved in crime or criminality.

In announcing that the UFF had been stood down, the south Belfast brigadier insisted the organisation would continue a process of transformation towards a Northern Ireland based on “equality, justice and inclusivity”.

Specifically, he added that no section of society would be left behind ” regardless of religion, politics or identity”.

But the on-the-ground community activist told us: “I think Jackie needs to wake up and smell the coffee.

“Both of these immigrant groups have been left absolutely terrified by these demands for money.

“The people involved are known UDA henchmen and obviously see this as an opportunity to expand their extortion empire.

“It’s sick and has left both groups in a position where they have no option but to move elsewhere to find some peace.”

North Belfast UUP Assemblyman Fred Cobain said he was “horrified” anyone would prey on such vulnerable people.

“It has to be stamped out, we’ve had enough of this type of criminal behaviour,” he added.

Alliance MLA Anna Lo, the first person from an ethnic minority background to win a seat in the Assembly, said: “If we are to progress as a society we have to get rid of the paramilitary thugs behind such activity. They are just gangsters.

“Clearly they see these groups of people who are here to help our economy as easy targets and I’m quite sure most people will be outraged when they learn what’s going on.”

32 County Sovereignty Movement
18/11/2007
Contact: Andy Martin Director of Publicity
email sovereign_nation@hotmail.com

The RUC/PSNI have carried out a brutal unprovoked attack on a member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement in Derry City a matter of hours after telling him that they would shoot him.

Gary Donnelly was attacked by several members of the colonial police when walking down Foyle street in the city on Friday night (16th). He was surrounded by the crown forces and thrown on the ground where he sustained a broken arm, despite the fact that his arm was obviously broken they continued to manhandle him and put him in hand cuffs. At this point Donnelly was arrested and for assault and disorderly behaviour and thrown into the back of a land rover sustaining a further two fractures to his arm.

When in the Strand Road barracks, and obviously in great pain, Mr Donnelly was denied medical attention and an approach was made by someone flashing an identity card. When asked to identify himself this character refused but Mr Donnelly was able to see that his card stated the word ‘Forensics’ on it, at this point the member of the crown forces was asked to ‘Go Away’.

When Mr Donnelly’s solicitor arrived he was finally released and taken to Altnagelvin Hospital where he was immediately put on a Morphine drip.

The 32 County Sovereignty Movement view the behaviour of the RUC/PSNI as alarming but also as consistent with their treatment of republicans for decades. We also view with alarm the revelations that Gary Donnelly had been given a death threat by the RUC/PSNI shortly before the assault and that an unidentified forensic officer attempted to make contact with him in a custody suite.

Given the RUC/PSNI’s recent history of involvement in murdering republicans and fabricating and planting evidence on republicans the 32CSM urge all its members and indeed all members of the republican family to be extremely wary and vigilant in the time ahead.