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By Ciarán Barnes
Belfast Media
Andersonstown News Monday

Police in West Belfast solve less crime than anywhere else in the North of Ireland.

Although crime in the West of the city has fallen by 16 per cent in the past year, clearance rates stand at just 15 per cent.

This means that only one out of every 10 crimes committed in West Belfast is solved – the worst statistic in the North and five per cent lower than the overall clearance rate average.

Sinn Féin Policing Board member Alex Maskey described the figure as “unacceptable”.

He said: “It must be noted that violent crime, robberies and criminal damage are all down.

Cause for concern

“However, more can be done to tackle crime and the current clearance rate needs to be improved.”

The SDLP’s Dolores Kelly, who also sits on the Policing Board, was another to express alarm.

She said: “This is a cause for concern and it will be an issue that the Board and the PSNI will have to address.”

Policing Board Chairman Sir Desmond Rea said the “low overall clearance rate remains a cause for concern”.

He revealed the Board has set the PSNI a “challenging target” of improving this by five per cent between 2008 and 2011.

During the 2007-08 financial year, 5,532 crimes occurred in West Belfast compared to 6,634 the previous year.

However, clearance rates for 2007-08 were just 15 per cent compared to 17 per cent during 2006-07.

The figures show that all crime in West Belfast is down, with the exception of burglary and drug trafficking.

But ironically these are the only two areas in which the PSNI clearance rate has improved.

West Belfast PSNI chief Gary White was nonetheless keen to focus on his officers’ successes over the past year.

He said: “I welcome the news that crime has fallen in West Belfast. It shows that the police service, working with partner agencies and the community, is making the area safer for everyone who lives, works and socialises here.”

The crime figures, published last Friday, are to the first to be produced since Sinn Féin joined the Policing Board and encouraged people to back the police.

:::u.tv:::
Monday, 19 May 2008

The trial of the man accused of murdering Robert McCartney outside a Belfast bar has been hit by a fresh delay.

Terence Malachy Davison, 51, had been due to face the charge of killing the 33-year-old father of two at the city`s Crown Court.

The hearing, which has already been hit by a series of postponements, is now due to start on Wednesday, 21 May.

Today`s proceedings did not get under way because a barrister was held up at another trial.

Along with two other men - James McCormick, 39, and Joseph Gerrard Emmanuel Fitzpatrick, 47 - Davison was also due to face charges of affray in relation to the same incident outside Magennis`s Bar in January 2005.

Sinn Fein has denied any IRA members took part in the killing.

By Fionnan Sheahan, Political Editor
Independent.ie
Tuesday May 20 2008

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore yesterday accused Sinn Fein of misleading the electorate with its suggestion of a Plan B scenario in the event of a ‘No’ vote on the Lisbon Treaty.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams launching his party’s ‘No to Lisbon’ campaign yesterday in front of Leinster House, flanked by Aengus O Snodaigh, Caoimhghin O Caolain, Mary Lou McDonald and campaign director Padraig McLochlainn.

“There is no guarantee at all, far from it, that another treaty could be negotiated. This treaty took a long time to be negotiated. It is, as are all treaties, negotiated between 27 member states and, frankly, I think Sinn Fein are misleading people into believing that if you vote against this treaty, something better is going to be available six months or 12 months down the line,” he said.

Launching her party’s campaign against the referendum, Sinn Fein MEP Mary Lou McDonald said a ‘No’ vote in the referendum will force the Government back to the negotiating table to get a better deal.

But Mr Gilmore said: “They know that is simply not the case. They are misleading people.” He insisted that every argument made by Euro-sceptics on neutrality, voting powers and taxation had been “blown out of the water”.

“Virtually all of the arguments that the ‘No’ campaign started out with at the very beginning have been shown to be false,” he said.

“They have been making false arguments and one by one they have been demolished,” he said.

Sinn Fein admitted yesterday that the treaty won’t change the laws on abortion here.

Unlike other ‘No’ vote campaigners, Ms McDonald said passing the referendum would have no impact at all on abortion. “I don’t believe it will have any,” she said.

Not only does Ms McDonald’s straightforward view put her party at odds with several other ‘No’ campaigners, but it also undermines claims Lisbon will result in abortion being legalised in this country.

She said a ‘Yes’ vote will result in Ireland losing its permanent Commissioner and see the country’s voting strength halved on the Council of Ministers.

“While the larger states will also be rotated on the Commission, Britain, Germany and Italy will almost double their voting strength on the Council of Ministers and have far more MEPs than Ireland.

Ms McDonald also says Article 48 of the EU Reform Treaty will remove Ireland’s ability to set its own tax rates.

Mr Adams said the Lisbon Treaty is not as complex a document as claimed by the ‘Yes’ campaign. “This treaty isn’t rocket science and we shouldn’t be mystified by it,” he said.

He said those campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote are scaremongering by exaggerating the consequences of its rejection.

Meanwhile, a campaign was launched yesterday to encourage young people to vote in the referendum. The Rock The Vote campaign follows on from their success during last years general election. Supported by the Union of Students in Ireland, the campaign also aims to encourage young people to register, and to raise awareness on key issues so young people can make an informed choice.

- Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor

BBC

The police officer who prepared the file in the Michael Stone trial has admitted that it was wrong not to view unedited television footage.

This included a claim that the incident at Stormont in November 2006 was art.

Stone, of no fixed address, denies attempting to murder Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness and 12 other charges.

Footage from RTE shown in the court on Tuesday included a journalist saying as the media was being evacuated “it’s an art thing, he told me about it”.

The journalist added: “He had a handgun but I met him (Stone) a couple of weeks ago and he told me he was going to do something big for devolution day.”

The police had a tape containing this but Detective Sergeant Ian Pollard told the court no-one looked at it

Cross-examined by defence barrister Arthur Harvey QC, he admitted it would have been an important line to pursue and asked, if it was relevant, he replied “yes”.

Det Sgt Pollard also admitted while he had been made aware of the journalist’s comments in recent days, the first time he had heard it himself was when it was played in court.

He told the judge: “I am possibly at fault. I apologise to the court for that.”

Along with attempted murder, Stone is also charged with possession of explosives, three knives, an axe, a garrotte and an imitation firearm.

The trial continues.

By Alan Murray
Sunday Life
18 May 2008

Warnings had been issued to police officers based in Strabane to vary their routes to and from work just before last week’s bomb attack on a colleague by dissident republicans.

Officers serving in the PSNI station were warned that dissident republican elements might target them in gun attacks similar to incidents last November when two colleagues were wounded.

But there was no warning to officers to check their cars for booby trap devices before a 26-year-old constable nearly lost his life last Monday night near Castlederg.

The development of a viable under car bomb by dissident republicans has alarmed senior PSNI officers and MI5, which gave no prior warning of such an attack. Despite arrests on Thursday, the security assessment is that it’s virtually certain that more bomb attacks are in the pipeline.

The development of a sophisticated under car device adds considerably to the threat posed by the dissident republican elements.

The fact the bomb detonated and caused serious puncture wounds to the 26-year-old officer’s lower body as well as engulfing his car in flames adds to concerns that the dissident Real IRA and Continuity IRA elements could raise tensions over the marching season.

It’s understood that former members of the UDR helped haul the officer from his vehicle and probably saved his life.

But the development of an effective under car bomb by dissident has added to Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde’s security headache and adds to fears that it will be just a matter of time before one of his officers is fatally wounded.

Last November, two officers survived ambushes in Derry and Dungannon when dissidents wounded them in gun attacks.

Another major concern is the failure of MI5, which is now responsible for intelligence gathering operations within dissident republican organisations, to detect the latest terrorist incident and last November’s attacks. Police were questioning a man and woman yesterday in connection with the attempted murder of an off-duty policeman in the car bomb attack near Castlederg.

The pair were arrested on Friday night and taken to Antrim Police Station.

Four men arrested at different locations in Tyrone on Thursday were still being held yesterday.

Derry Journal
19 May 2008

The IRSP held its annual hunger strike commemoration in Derry on Sunday amid a large scale security operation mounted by the PSNI.

Around 300 people, including relatives of dead INLA volunteers, marched from the Rosemount factory to the republican socialist monument in the City Cemetery.

Two PSNI landrovers drove at the front of the parade while four more followed behind with more PSNI officers lining the route of the march. Landrovers could also be seen on roads leading to the City Cemetery, which has been the scene of disturbances at previous republican commemoration events. A police helicopter flew overhead throughout the event.

At the commemoration, which was held to remember the ten hungerstrikers who died in Long Kesh in 1981 as well as INLA volunteers from Derry and Tyrone, wreaths were laid at the graves of local republican socialists, including Patsy O’Hara and Mickey Devine.

Leading IRSP member Paul Gallagher from Strabane gave the main oration at the event and said the Republic the hungerstrikers died for is now further away than it was in 1981.

“Sinn Féin now sits on the Stormont executive that they once proclaimed should be smashed. They now advocate support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland that they once said should be disbanded. On the economic front, workers are paid less in Derry than in the rest of the North, unemployment is rising, manufacturing plants have closed down, fuel prices are rising, food prices are rising, taxes are going up, water charges are coming in and, at the same time, services are diminishing. Stormont has done nothing for the people of the North except invite American investors here whose only aim will be to see how much profit that they can squeeze out of Irish workers before they scuttle off somewhere else when the incentives dry up,” he added.

Mr Gallagher also told the crowd to re-double their efforts to build a republican socialist alternative.

Wreaths were then laid on behalf of the INLA, the IRSP, the family of Patsy O’Hara, the 32 Country Sovereignty Movement and Oglaigh na h’Éireann. The event ended with the national anthem being played by the Seamus Costello flute band.

Commenting on the security operation, PSNI chief inspector Chris Yates, said he was pleased with peaceful outcome of the march. “The event was well organised and we had no problems with it. That bodes well for future events. There were a few incidents of stone-throwing, these were of a low-level and I’m satisfied they were not connected with the organisation of the parade,” he said.

By Noel McAdam
Belfast Telegraph
20 May 2008

Sinn Fein today warned they will veto any proposal to ditch the Maze project which the SDLP said would be a major lost opportunity and symbol of reconciliation.

And Sinn Fein also questioned the figures on which the conclusions of an economic appraisal are based and insisted the stadium will not be sited anywhere else.

Assembly member Paul Butler said: “There is a perception that the DUP are running things, but they will not be putting this through the Executive without our agreement.

“Our view is that if there is now a stadium on the Long Kesh site, there won’t be a stadium anywhere. It has been clear for some time that Peter Robinson is against the project and he is now just finding figures and arguments to justify that.”

The Lagan Valley MLA said he would challenge claims the stadium would only be filled twice a year and there were questions on finance over a site which had been handed over by the Government for nothing.

SDLP Assembly member Declan O’Loan said: “This is what everything has been building up to. It will be a major lost opportunity, not least in the area of investment, but in terms of the loss of a stadium shared by the three main sports and the symbol that could be for reconciliation.”

The North Antrim MLA predicted a “considerable row” on the Executive, with Ministers again splitting along unionist and nationalist lines, as they have over the schools transfer proposals.

“It does not bode well for the system of Government we have and I think it is fundamentally about DUP concerns over the conflict transformation centre,” Mr O’Loan added.

Howard Wells, chief executive of the Irish Football Association, said: ” Whether it is the Maze or another site, the fact is we need a new stadium in the next two years and what other alternative is there? I don’t think the Government has picked up on the seriousness of the need for a Plan B. Northern Ireland is not a large enough place.”

Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey, meanwhile, said the controversy over a proposed conflict transformation museum at the Maze, which some DUP MLAs have likened to a “shrine” to terrorism, needed to be ” separated out” from the overall plans.

“This site has been in the possession of this and the last Executive for seven years and absolutely nothing has been done,” he added.

His deputy leader Danny Kennedy accused the First Ministers’ Office of ” a year of incompetence and indecision”, and pointed out his party has tabled a motion calling on Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness to set up a Maze Development Corporation along the lines of the Laganside Corporation.

“The site at the Maze has been lying idle for years, while the First Minister’s Office has spent millions of pounds on consultations. This is bad, unacceptable Government and we need to see movement on the Maze,” he said.

The motion says the corporation should include representation from Lisburn City Council and that it should incorporate its own planning authority for the entire site.

BBC
19 May 2008

Video footage of Michael Stone launching his alleged murder bid at the Northern Ireland Assembly has been played at the loyalist killer’s trial.

The footage showed Stone being held back by security staff

The footage was captured by TV cameras there to record the day Martin McGuinness was to designated deputy first minister in November 2006.

Stone is accused of attempting to murder Mr McGuinness and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

He denies all charges, claiming his actions were performance art.

During the second day of the trial the court was shown footage from BBC and ITN cameras.

Stone, who was dressed in a denim jacket, denim jeans and a white shirt, sat impassively in the dock as the videos were played before trial judge, Mr Justice Deeny.

The footage showed security guards grappling with Stone as he tried to enter the Great Hall through the main revolving door.

One grabbed Stone while his female colleague seized his gun, which later turned out to be fake, and struck him over the head with it.

Throughout, Stone was heard shouting: “No surrender”.

Moments before the incident, the ITN camera had been filming a press conference involving both Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness and other senior Sinn Fein figures only yards from the revolving door.

No surrender. No sell-out, Paisley. Adams and McGuinness are war criminals, war criminals… Put them down
Michael Stone

The cameras kept rolling as the events unfolded, capturing journalists and photographers being evacuated through the building’s corridors and out of the east door.

The film crews then made their way to the front of the assembly building, where they again filmed Stone, this time lying on the ground being restrained by four guards.

He was heard shouting: “No surrender. No sell-out, Paisley. Adams and McGuinness are war criminals, war criminals… Put them down.”

About 10 minutes after the cameras started recording the incident, police officers arrived on the scene and took Stone into custody.

Along with attempted murder of Adams and McGuinness, Stone is also charged with possession of explosives, three knives, an axe, a garrotte and an imitation firearm. He denies all 14 counts.

At the hearing at Belfast Crown Court, defence barrister Arthur Harvey QC, asked why the Police Service of Northern Ireland had only requested the footage from the BBC after the trial began last Monday.

He also noted that, although the ITN footage had been obtained by the PSNI in December 2006, officers had only viewed it for the first time last week.

Footage obtained by Irish national broadcaster, RTE, and Ulster Television will be shown to the court on Tuesday.

BBC

The three lord mayors on the island of Ireland are to meet today for the first time in more than 50 years.

Jim Rodgers

Belfast Lord Mayor Jim Rodgers and the Lord Mayor of Cork, Donal Counihan, are travelling to Dublin to meet their counterpart, Paddy Bourke.

It will be the first time since 1955 the cities’ three lord mayors have met.

“Because of the Troubles it would not have been the politically correct thing to do, but things have changed now,” said Mr Rodgers.

“I said to them that I thought it would be of political benefit to all of us if we got together for the first time since 1955.

“I am looking forward to it. It is important that we have good relationships between the first citizens on the island.”

The two-day engagement will also include a joint courtesy call on Irish President Mary McAleese and a visit to a housing regeneration project in Dublin.

Mr Rodgers will also call on the Bulgarian Ambassador to Ireland, Emil Yalnazov, whom he met recently at Windsor Park during an international football match between Northern Ireland and Bulgaria.

BBC

Four men arrested over the attempted murder of a police officer in County Tyrone last week have been released without charge.

The officer suffered leg injuries when a booby-trap bomb on his car exploded at Drumnaby Road in Spamount village, outside Castlederg, last Monday.

The four men had been questioned for several days.

A man and a woman also arrested over the attack were released pending further inquiries.

The scene of the attack - which has been blamed on dissident republicans - was revisited by police on Monday night.

Detective Inspector Ian Magee said he hoped the exercise might help jog the memories of people in the area.

“Fortunately, the injured officer is making a good recovery. He has undergone operations, including skin grafts, and is in good spirits,” he said.

“The officer’s car was not used between 6pm on Saturday May 10 and 9pm on Monday May 12.

“We believe that the device was placed under it sometime in this period and I am asking, did anyone see strangers, strange cars or suspicious activity in the area in this period?”

In November, the Real IRA shot two officers in Londonderry and Dungannon, and in February police mounted a huge security operation across Northern Ireland because of fears that dissidents were planning another shooting or bombing.