SAOIRSE32

Belfast Telegraph
Wednesday, 8 July 2009

Pressure is growing on the IRA to respond to the latest murder of innocent dad, Wayne Doherty, in Dublin by drug dealers.

Senior republicans met within hours of the murder to discuss a response to the latest killing.

The killer, said to be well known in west Dublin, has now gone into hiding.

“Senior members of the IRA have taken the view that they are compelled to do something about this outrage,” said a security source.

Meanwhile, Wayne’s father issued a plea for no retaliation for the murder of his innocent son.

John Doherty said his son had no political involvement and had not even voted in the recent elections.

Hardline Republicans in west Dublin issued the threat against the gunman who fired the fatal shot at the dad-of-two in Hartstown within hours of the killing.

“The IRA has taken the view that it has to act on this killing. It has to be seen to do something about this killing,” said a source.

Innocent Wayne Doherty, an Irish Pride bread delivery man who had absolutely no involvement in crime, was gunned down by members of a Mulhuddart drug and robbery gang.

The Garda’s chief suspect for the shooting, who is from the Corduff area, remains at large. Sources described the man as a “low ranking” member of a local crime outfit, involved mainly in burglaries and small-scale drug dealing.

It is understood that he had agreed to give himself up by arrangement at 11am last Sunday morning – hours after the shooting – but did not do so.

His current whereabouts are unknown but Irish police believe he is lying low in Dublin.

Security sources said that hardliners with the Provisional IRA in west Dublin issued the threat against the man last Sunday.

One source said: “The IRA regard this shooting as murder, plain and simple. They want to use it to take a stand against drug dealers in the local community.

“It would be in the best interests of this man to hand himself over to the guards before this crowd get their hands on him.

“A number of senior individuals within the movement have put out the word that if they come across him there will be a no-jury trial.”

Gardai are believed to be investigating the threats and officers in west Dublin have warned IRA contacts that vigilante activity will not be tolerated.

Wayne Doherty’s father John said his son had no involvement in politics. He said the family want no retaliation by any group.

“Wayne didn’t even vote in the last local elections. His polling card is still here,” he said.

John Doherty also asked for anyone with information to call the gardai. “I’ve also sent out the message that there is to be no retaliation because otherwise there will be more innocent people ending up in the position that we are in now,” he said.

Gardai are currently hunting four men who arrived at the scene of the murder at Oakview Way in Hartstown at 11.30pm last Saturday night in two cars.

One of the cars suspected to have been used, a silver Volkswagen Passat, was found in a housing estate in Mulhuddart and is being technically examined. It is understood blood was found inside this vehicle. A second, dark coloured car is still being sought.

The silver Passat is believed to have carried the gunman from the scene. A second man, known to gardai, is also believed to have been in the car. This man’s home, in the Dromheath area of Mulhuddart, was raided on Sunday by gardai but he was not at home.

Two other men, associates of the gunman and all from the Mulhuddart- Blanchardstown area, are also being sought.

The shooting is believed to relate to a fist fight at a bar in west Dublin on Saturday evening. Wayne Doherty, who was a well known amateur boxer and close pal of Bernard Dunne, was not present, but his friend called him to Oakway View afterwards amid fears that the pub attacker was planning a gun attack.

When the Passat arrived at the estate an armed man stepped out. He was confronted by Mr Doherty and a shot from a sawn off shotgun was fired into the air. Mr Doherty was hit by a second shot, fired at his torso. He had a wife, Karen (32), a son Christopher (10) and a daughter Johanne (5).

Dad shot after row at church ceremony

By Tom Brady and Stephen O’Farrell

The savage murder of a father of two outside his parents’ house was sparked by a row at a christening.

The victim was Wayne Doherty (32), who was hit in the side by a shotgun blast when he approached a group in two cars. Detectives began a murder probe after the killing at Oakview Way in Hartstown, west Dublin at around 11.30pm on Saturday.

Gardai said that Mr Doherty was not known to them, had no criminal connections and was not affiliated with any gang.

Mr Doherty had worked as a bouncer in the nearby Hartstown House before giving up that job to become a bread delivery man seven years ago, residents said.

Officers believe the fatal shooting was connected to an argument between a friend of Mr Doherty and another group during a christening on Saturday evening.

They think Mr Doherty, who lived in Clonsilla, was informed of the row and was in Hartstown after being told of fears that there could be violence in the estate on Saturday night.

Gardai are following a number of leads after raiding two houses in the Blanchardstown area.

They seized an air gun and two balaclava helmets in one house, but did not find the murder weapon.

Gardai were also searching for two cars used by the killer and his accomplices as they fled from the scene of the murder.

Mr Doherty, a married father of two, was shot twice outside his parents John and Angela’s home, where he had been reared alongside five brothers and one sister.

He was on the road chatting with members of his family before the two cars pulled up.

He approached one of the cars and a gunman jumped out, brandishing a shotgun.

The gunman pointed his weapon at Mr Doherty and opened fire. But Mr Doherty managed to push the gun upwards and the blast was fired into the air.

However, he was struck in the side by a second blast and slumped to the ground as the two cars sped off out of the estate.

Mr Doherty was rushed to the Connolly hospital in Blanchardstown in a critical condition and was pronounced dead at 5.37am on Sunday. Neighbours in the quiet housing estate of Oakview Way were trying to come to terms with the late-night attack on Mr Doherty, who they described as a hard- working family man. This was the 16th fatal shooting in the country this year, a death toll that has averaged more than one victim per fortnight.

A resident living close to where Mr Doherty was gunned down told how he was startled by two large bangs at around 11.30pm.

“I was in there with the young baby and I heard two shots being fired,” the man, who did not want to be named, said.

“I knew they were gunshots straight away, they couldn’t have been firecrackers.

“The baby was crying so I didn’t come out straight away, but when I did come I saw Wayne down on the ground.

“Then all the ambulances arrived and that was pretty much it.”

The Dohertys are a popular family who were described by locals as hard-working, decent people.

“I grew up with that family and Wayne was a lovely man,” one neighbour said.

“He was a family man with two kids. It’s just a terrible tragedy because he was never involved in anything criminal or anything like that.”

Another neighbour added: “He wouldn’t harm a fly. He was a genuine bloke and then someone goes and does that to him.”

londonderrysentinel.co.uk
08 July 2009

THE Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG), in Londonderry and North Antrim have released a statement saying that it has withdrawn its support for Northern Ireland’s political institutions and the PSNI with immediate effect.
The UPRG, which provides political analysis to the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) claim the decision has been “forced” upon them for a number of reasons. The decision comes the UPRG said after a widespread consultation of with its membership and grass roots loyalist communities in the Derry and North Antrim region.
In a statement, the UPRG regional group listed the reasons for the refusal to continue to support the Stormont Assembly and the PSNI.
The statement said: “We feel that this decision has been forced upon us for a number of reasons. The ongoing demonisation of loyalism in the region by government, politicians and others, the political apathy in relation to dealing with with the social issues affecting our grass roots loyalist communities and the politically motivated ‘green agenda’ operated by the PSNI throughout the north west.”
The statement comes in light of recent moves by loyalist paramilitary groups to decommission their arsenals. It has been confirmed that both the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando have completely destroyed their weapons cache, whilst the UDA have begun the process.
In June it was contended that the UDA had asked the Government for millions of pounds and the release of prisoners before commencing the decommissioning process.
The statement from the UPRG also said: “In 1998 were were told that no section of the community would be left behind in building a new Northern Ireland. However, since then, grass roots loyalist communities in the north west have been ignored and allowed to wallow in poverty, destitution and squalor. Political interference in community funding initiatives has seen vital work being carried out by loyalist community activists go ignored and unfunded.”
In a section of the press release labelled as a ‘Summary Statement by the Regional Committee UPRG North Antrim and Londonderry Region’, it is stated: “The situation today, with the announcement that the loyalist community in the largest geographical area of the Province have withdrawn their support for political institutions and the PSNI serve to remind all politicians that Northern Ireland is not about the city of Belfast alone.
“Loyalist communities in North Antrim and Londonderry have been unfairly excluded. The views of the public face of loyalism in Belfast-does not represent what loyalists in the rest of the Province are thinking.
“The issues facing loyalists face in North Antrim in Londonderry are completely separate to those faced by loyalists in the urban expanse of Belfast and surrounding areas.”

Belfast Telegraph
Wednesday, 8 July 2009

A Catholic teenager has been attacked and beaten up by a loyalist gang in Coleraine, police have said.

The attack on the 17-year-old was being treated as a sectarian hate crime, a police spokeswoman confirmed.

The victim was assaulted and verbally abused during the day in a carpark in the Co Londonderry town’s Long Commons.

A group of five young men, described as wearing hoodies, carried out the attack at around noon on Monday and called the victim “a Fenian bastard”.

Police appealed for anyone who witnessed the attack to contact them.

The teenager was not understood to have suffered serious life-threatening injuries.

Community tensions have continued to run high in Coleraine in the wake of the murder by a loyalist mob of Catholic community worker Kevin McDaid in May.

Sinn Fein councillor Billy Leonard said he was not surprised by the incident.

“It’s not just restricted to the Twelfth period and the marching season in general, but obviously it always comes with more intensity at this time of year,” he said.

By Leona Schreiber
Irish News
07/07/2009

A world of titles: Gerry Marshall in his shop in Donegall Street (PICTURE: Hugh Russell)

THE owner of Marshall’s, which was once Belfast’s only international newsagents, has died.

Gerry Marshall, who ran the store, died after losing a long-running battle with Alzheimer’s disease, at the age of 74.

The married father-of-three owned the newsagents for 15 years but worked there for much of his life.

Fr Paul Burn, from the parish of St Mary’s on the Hill in Glengormley, described Mr Marshall as “part of the community” in Donegall Street.

“He was one of the characters of that time in that area,” he said.

“His shop was prominent because it supplied articles and publications you couldn’t get anywhere else, and he served his customers well.”

The shop was opened by Mr Marshall’s father Simon more than 80 years ago and remained a family business until it closed 10 years ago.

It supplied daily newspapers from most of the European countries and elsewhere abroad within a couple days of publication.

Regular customers included foreign students and visitors, as well as local schools who bought its publications to use in their language classes.

The shop also had a steadfast refusal to follow the route taken by other newsagents.

There were no sweets, crisps or drinks to be found in Marshall’s. Tobacco was the only non-reading matter for sale.

By Bimpe Archer
Irish News
07/07/2009

THERE is “deep disappointment” over an unrestricted Orange Order parade close to the scene of a murder in Co Derry, a Sinn Fein councillor has said.

Billy Leonard said the Parades Commission should have placed restrictions on next week’s Twelfth march in Coleraine.

“People just can’t believe that within weeks of Kevin McDaid’s murder there will be a parade along Somerset Drive,” he said.

“It was hoped that enough compassion and respect to allow the McDaid family space would be given.

“However, the Parades Commission has ignored that and has neither put conditions on the parade in the morning nor on a returning parade along Killowen Street in the evening.

“The prospect of spectators and followers within yards of the murder scene is worrying.

“The residents have been very responsible about all the parades since Kevin’s murder but now feel that their case has been ignored and the simple compromise of avoiding Somerset Drive was not made.”

The Parades Commission was not available for comment last night.

Derry Journal
08 July 2009

Heart patients and their families in Northern Ireland are missing out on vital support and could be suffering in silence, according to the British Heart Foundation.

The heart charity is concerned about the low number of local calls to its Heart HelpLine locally, despite there being more than 3,100 people living with coronary heart disease in the Derry City Council area.

Depression is also a common problem in patients following acute cardiac events, and it’s estimated that up to 20% of individuals have a major depressive episode within a few weeks, with a further 25% experiencing milder depression.

To tackle this, the BHF has launched a campaign to get heart patients and their families to seek support and information by calling its Heart HelpLine on 0300 333 1 333.

BHF Cardiac Nurse Ellen Mason said: “There are hidden costs to heart disease that most people wouldn’t think of – the impact that it can have on their jobs, income, family life, and mental wellbeing.

“No one should have to deal with all those things without the offer of support, but people often don’t know that their experiences and feelings are normal, or feel they can talk about it. Anyone concerned about heart disease can call our Heart HelpLine for information and support.”

The BHF’s Heart HelpLine is staffed by cardiac nurses, a bereavement counsellor and heart health advisors to provide lifestyle advice.

Local heart patient Jimmy Walker, who suffered a heart attack is supporting BHF Northern Ireland’s campaign for people to seek help.

“When I had a heart attack, I got excellent treatment for my medical condition, but it’s all those other things you don’t get help for.

“I don’t want other people in Northern Ireland to have to go through these things alone, and want them to know that BHF Northern Ireland is there when you need them.”

To get free information and support from BHF Northern Ireland, anyone in the UK can call the Heart HelpLine on 0300 333 1 333 for the price of a local call.

Derry Journal
08 July 2009

The IRSP have described Sinn Féin’s Martina Anderson’s attack on those republicans calling for an inquiry to be held into the events of the 1981 hunger strike as “arrogant.”

Strabane man Willie Gallagher, a member of the IRSP’s ruling executive, was speaking after the Sinn Féin MLA called for an end to the current controversary over the hunger strike.

She also said some republicans were exploiting the grief of the hunger strikers families to attack Sinn Féin.

Ms Anderson made her remarks amid claims by former prisoner Richard O’Rawe that a deal which would have prevented the deaths of six of the hunger strikers was rejected by the IRA leadership outside Long Kesh, despite being accepted by the prisoners.

Independent inquiry

Mr Gallagher said: “The IRSP fully support the calls from the O’Hara and Devine families for an Independent Republican Inquiry as outlined in their recent statement. Just like the two families “We cannot understand why any republican would have anything to fear from such an inquiry, or why they would not support it.

“Furthermore we totally refute claims by SF’s Martina Anderson that by doing so is both shameful and dishonourable.

We are disgusted by her inflammatory language which may have contributed to creating the climate for the attack on Patsy O’Hara’s memorial plague,” he claimed.

The IRSP man also said he will continue to press for an inquiry to be held.

BBC

One of the men held to be responsible for the Omagh bombing in a civil judgement will face extradition proceedings in Northern Ireland.

Liam Campbell, 46, is wanted in Lithuania in connection with arms smuggling offences.

Extradition proceedings are at an advanced stage in the Irish Republic and a defence lawyer argued those should be allowed to continue.

However, a judge said Lithuania wanted the case to be heard in the UK.

He said there was no reason for him to turn their request down and remanded Campbell in custody.

Last month, Campbell, of Upper Faughart, County Louth, and three other men were ruled to have been responsible for the Omagh bombing after a landmark civil case brought by families of some of the victims of the 1998 atrocity.

Campbell was arrested in May after crossing the border into Northern Ireland.

Belfast Recorder Tom Burgess said a warrant for Campbell’s arrest was sent to Northern Ireland and to the Republic of Ireland at or about the same in January.

He said Campbell had chosen of his own free will to come into Northern Ireland in May.

“I find no reason to impart to the PSNI any bad faith or abuse of their powers,” he said.

“They were arresting someone under an instrument duly issued by a judicial authority. That judicial authority has advised that it wishes the matter to proceed in this jurisdiction.”

Extradition proceedings against him over the alleged weapons plot had already been going on for six months in the Republic at the time he was arrested in NI.

Belfast Recorders Court was previously told the plot involved smuggling weapons including automatic rifles, ammunition, projectors, detonators and timers into Ireland for use by dissident republicans.