SAOIRSE32

Belfast Telegraph
17 July 2008

The Secretary of State has vowed to take fine defaulters out of prisons to make room for loyalists who refuse to give up their weapons.

Shaun Woodward said special laws allowing for legal disarmament will be renewed in February for a further year — but it will be the last opportunity.

In his strongest comments to date, he warned the UVF and UDA he will make room in prisons to jail those found to have held on to their guns.

In 2005, the IRA decommissioned its weapons, but since then loyalist groups have been slow to follow suit, prompting Mr Woodward’s latest demand for action.

“It is just not going to be an acceptable feature of a normal society that groups of people can continue holding on to weapons which maybe one day they might hand in,” he said.

“It’s my view that next February’s decommissioning order should be the last.

“It is perfectly clear what the consequences will be — there will be no legal way to decommission.”

He added: “People have got to get themselves out of the grip of the past, and I understand that, but I do not tolerate violence.

“If people want to behave in a criminal way, then they’ll be treated as criminals and they will come before the courts and will go to prison where they belong.

“And I will take the fine defaulters out of prison and create the places in prisons for these people who refuse to come to terms with what’s happened in Northern Ireland and where Northern Ireland is going.”

In spring last year the UVF announced the end of its 40-year campaign of violence. But it controversially said that while it would put weapons beyond reach of rank and file members, it would not decommission.

A wing of the UDA destroyed a small number of guns last November, but the group’s leaders have refused to decommission its weapons.

Since then Mr Woodward has warned that the legal path for decommissioning would not be in place forever, but yesterday he confirmed an effective deadline was to be introduced.

4ni.co.uk
17 July 2008

Three men have been arrested in relation to the attempted murder of two police officers in a landmine attack.

The Continuity IRA admitted they attempted to detonate the landmine on June 14, as a police patrol passed on the Rellan Road, near Roslea, County Down.

The two officers escaped with minor injuries after the device only partially exploded.

The PSNI have confirmed that they arrested three men in the Roslea area this month. The men have been taken to the PSNI serious crime suite in Antrim, where they are said to be helping police with their enquiries.

BBC
16 July 2008

A 16-year-old boy has been forced to flee Derry after being threatened by republican paramilitaries.

He was due to appear at a youth court in the city on Wednesday on a charge of disorderly behaviour.

However, the court was told he was currently living at a secret address in County Donegal.

A defence solicitor said lines of communication had been opened between the paramilitary organisation and the probation service.

However, it was established that the death threat has not been lifted.

District judge Barney McElholm said the youth should respond to the charge either by telephone or through a letter to his solicitor.

News Letter
16 July 2008

ARMAGH Orangemen have spoken out against paramilitary flags being flown in the city, especially along their parade routes as they say they can inflame tensions.

They said this year’s Twelfth was very successful, only being marred by the flying of some paramilitary flags in the city which they acknowledge may have led to raised tensions and the stoning of a bus after a hoax bomb alert.

The statement from the Armagh district said: “Following this year’s successful Twelfth demonstration in Tandragee, we are looking forward to hosting next year’s event in the city of Armagh.

“It should be a terrific day for the city and we are already making plans to ensure that the Armagh Twelfth of 2009 will be a very good day, enjoyed by thousands.”

The statement said that one of the ways to ensure a peaceful day was to have no paramilitary trappings, which can lead to trouble.

“We were perturbed this year to see loyalist paramilitary flags in the Gaol Square and Barrack Street area of the city.

“We do not want any paramilitary flags in Armagh in the future – they have no part in our celebrations and can lead to an increase in tension.

“This may have been the reason why one of our buses was stoned by nationalists after it was diverted due to a bomb hoax.

“Fortunately no-one was injured.

The Armagh district statement said: “Our aim is to have a peaceful Twelfth in Armagh next year without any paramilitary flags and without any attacks on our members or supporters.

“We would ask all community leaders to ensure that our celebrations are respected and not disrupted in any way.

“The Twelfth is the biggest day in the Orange calendar and we want people in Armagh to remember it for all the right reasons.”

South Belfast News
Belfast Media
Letters

As I walked into Belfast city centre last week I was greeted by the yearly sight that is the 11th night bonfire on the Ormeau embankment.

For the past few years the media has been filled with reports from the Orange Order and their counterparts of how “Orangefest” is a “festival” for all communities to enjoy.

Yet then, as I looked up at the mountain of stolen pallets, I saw two Irish tricolours set to go up in flames. As I continued down the Ravenhill Road and on to the Albert Bridge I was still able to see the bonfire and the flags that adorned it.

“Orangefest” attracts thousands of tourists a year apparently and barring the sympathetic Scots, what “picture postcard image” are our foreign visitors, and those from the Republic greeted with as they step off the Enterprise from Dublin?

There are children in our society who thankfully have never known the violence of the “Troubles”.

It’s a great start for them now as they sit in their pram, waving a Union flag and watching an Irish tricolour go up in flames.

“Orangefest-ering-in-the-past” would be a better name.

Francis