SAOIRSE32

By Victor Gordon
Belfast Telegraph
Saturday, 11 July 2009

THE leader of Portadown’s Orangemen said last night that the way was now open for face-to-face talks with Garvaghy Road nationalists after both sides met separately with First Minister Peter Robinson at Stormont Castle to discuss the Drumcree parade dispute.

Darryl Hewitt confirmed: “We have been seeking such talks for three years now and the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition (GRRC) has been dodging such talks. We made it clear to the First Minister that we enter such talks with no preconditions, except there must be an independent chairman.”

GRRC spokesman Breandan Mac Cionnaith was, however, sceptical about the Orangemen’s motivation. “All they ever want to discuss is the return parade via the Garvaghy Road,” he said. “They are not interested in alternative routes.

“The outward route from the centre of Portadown — via the nationalist Obins Street — was banned in the mid-1980s and they finally accepted the alternative, grudgingly I have to say. But they still apply for that route, 20 years after it was banned. That shows their real attitude.”

Both men were giving their views after Mr Robinson said he felt the talks would take place “as soon as there is enough overlap in their positions to allow a meeting to take place”, and that new Parades Commission chair Rena Shepherd could conduct the meeting.

He added: “I hope to talk with her soon. There are agenda issues that have to be sorted out, but I believe the talks will happen.”

Both sides described yesterday’s talks with Mr Robinson as “positive and very useful”, with the First Minister promising a meeting with Mrs Shepherd as soon as possible after she takes up the post on Monday week.

Mr Mac Cionnaith said: “Peter Robinson got off on the right foot immediately when he underlined he was not conducting a proxy meeting on behalf of the Orange Order, and I have to say he is very much aware of the views of both sides.

“He also seemed to accept that the coalition represents the views of the Garvaghy Road community and we found that refreshing, given that the Portadown District LOL No 1 often questions that point.

“We’ll wait and see what happens next. The fact that he isn’t an Orangeman helped things.”

Mr Mac Cionnaith was accompanied by Joe Duffy, chairman of the GRRC, who has gone on record as saying the parade issue is closed, and that the Parades Commission’s ruling on an alternative route is the only resolution.

District Orange Master Darryl Hewitt, who led a four-man delegation, insisted that the agenda was totally open “and we portrayed that to Peter Robinson”.

He added: “It was an extremely useful meeting and has given the Drumcree issue a fresh impetus — especially the setting up of a meeting with Rena Shepherd whom I met at Drumcree last Sunday for the first time”.

He added: “I want to reiterate that we have no precondition in the event of face-to-face talks and I’m not prepared to comment any further than that.”

By Barry McCaffrey
Irish News
11/07/09

Serious doubts have been cast over forensic evidence used to link a former Sinn Fein councillor to the murder of Constable Stephen Carroll, a court has been told.

The 48-year-old policeman was targeted as he answered a 999 call in Craigavon in March.

He was shot in the back of the head as he sat in a police car providing support for PSNI colleagues. The Continuity IRA later claimed responsibility for the killing.

Former Craigavon councillor Brendan McConville (38) was arrested at his home in Lurgan the following day.

He was charged with murder after being questioned for 14 days.

Teenager John Paul Wooton (18) was also charged with the killing.

The prosecution case claims that forensic tests carried out on a brown jacket found in the boot of Mr Wooton’s car identified gun residue as well as DNA matching Mr McConville.

The tests were said to be “indicative” that Mr McConville was “more likely than not” to have been the habitual wearer of the coat.

Mr McConville denied owning or wearing the coat.

He claimed that Mr Wooton was a friend and that he had been a passenger in his car on a regular basis and had often lifted groceries and newspapers from the boot of the vehicle.

Mr McConville’s solicitor Peter Corrigan told a bail application in Craigavon Magistrates Court yesterday that the prosecution case against the 38-year-old was in danger of collapsing amid doubts over the forensic evidence linking him to the killing.

Mr Corrigan said tests on the right cuff of the coat had identified DNA from more than one person, while the inside collar showed DNA from at least three other people.

The solicitor claimed serious doubt had now also been cast on the claims of gun residue found on the coat.

Miniscule particles of residue are normally found on the skin or clothes of anyone who fires a weapon, usually containing traces of lead, barium, antimony, tin and aluminium.

The court heard yesterday that a forensic scientist who carried out tests on the jacket found in Mr Wooton’s car had found traces of antimony, tin, copper and lead which “could have originated from a firearms source”.

However, the expert added that “the absence of additional elements such as barium or mercury means that there may be another source”.

As a result, she said, the forensic results could only be regarded as being “indicative” of the coat having contained gun residue.

Insisting that the prosecution case against Mr McConville was fatally flawed, Mr Corrigan said: “The foundation stone of the prosecution case has fallen now that they can’t link the coat with a firearm, let alone with the weapon used to kill Constable Carroll.

“Whether there is a DNA link between Mr McConville and the coat is irrelevant if there is no link to the murder.

“This is not Mr McConville’s solicitors’ saying this — it is the prosecution’s own key witness.”

Prosecution barrister Kate McKay objected to Mr McConville being granted bail, stating that police felt he could associate with the Continuity IRA if released.

She said police still had to interview key witnesses and there was a fear that, if released, Mr McConville could destroy vital evidence which police are still seeking.

The lawyer also rejected the defence claims that forensic evidence against Mr McConville was now in doubt and said police were awaiting more extensive test results.

Resident magistrate Raymond White said he was not satisfied that the case against Mr McConville was the “strongest” but added that it was enough “at this stage” for him to be refused bail.

Mr McConville is now expected to apply for High Court bail later in the month.

TENSIONS RISING OVER TWELFTH

By Allison Morris
Irish News
11/07/09

TONIGHT will see loyalist bonfires lit all across Northern Ireland. While some areas have fully embraced conflict transformation schemes and adopted environmentally-friendly beacons, traditional bonfires complete with toxic tyres are still being set alight in many loyalist areas.

In the past loyalist bonfires have been the catalyst for extreme violence including murder, sectarian intimidation and played host to paramilitary shows of strength.

A controversial bonfire built at the Donegall Road entrance gates of Belfast City Hospital had yesterday grown higher despite public condemnation.

One new addition was a sign making reference to South Belfast SDLP assembly member Carmel Hanna who publicly criticised its positioning.

By far the biggest bonfire was in New Mossley estate in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, which dwarfed houses around it.

It is expected to burn for more than a week after being lit at midnight.

Ballycraigy estate in Antrim town, which has in the past been one of the biggest pyres in the north, has signed up to a council-sponsored bonfire scheme which prohibits the use of tyres.

Last year the bonfire breached scheme guidelines by placing a huge tricolour with ‘KAT’ (Kill All Taigs) emblazoned on it.

This year organisers have adapted it to the less controversial ‘Keep Antrim Tidy’.

In Tigers Bay, north Belfast and Woodvale, west Belfast have signed up to beacons which cause no harm to the environment.

Kathleen Baird (75) said she thought the Tigers Bay beacon, which is situated in a children’s play park, was a positive step.

“Sure when we were younger we did like the bonfires but this is great for a park an sure the kids still get the fun out of it,” she said.

However, a few streets away two traditional bonfires remain, a visible sign of the unwillingness of some within loyalism to move away from the past.

One situated on waste ground in the hard-line Tigers Bay pays tribute to loyalist killer Michael Stone and also has a sign displayed saying ‘Trick or Treat’ – a reference to the Greysteel massacre in which eight people were murdered at the hands of UFF gunmen.

While most of the bonfires will be lit this evening as is traditional on the Eleventh night some will not take place until Sunday July 12 with Orange Order parades on Monday.

The period is the busiest of the year for emergency services, in 2008 the Fire and Rescue services attended 116 bonfire related incidents in a seven hour period alone.

BBC

Firefighters received more than 100 calls about bonfire incidents

The Fire and Rescue Service received more than 100 calls and responded to 80 incidents during 11th night bonfires.

The majority of the calls were in the Belfast area, although a spokesperson said they responded to incidents across Northern Ireland.

Some houses and other buildings had to be cooled by firefighters because they were close to bonfires.

The bonfires are lit ahead of the Twelfth of July parades which are taking place on Monday.

BBC

A concert is being held to remember the victims of an IRA bomb which exploded in Kent nearly 20 years ago.

Eleven Royal Marine musicians were killed in the explosion at Deal barracks on 22 September 1989. More than 20 others were injured.

Other memorial events planned in the town on Sunday included a march-past at the site and a minute’s silence.

A 15lb bomb exploded as the bandsmen were practising

No-one has ever been convicted over the deaths, caused by a 15lb (7kg) device planted in a recreational centre.

Retired Lt Col Richard Dixon, the commanding officer at Deal barracks at the time of the bombing, recalled the events of that day.

He said he had taken his dogs for a walk and was three minutes’ away from returning to his office when the bomb went off.

He said: “I knew precisely what it was as I had served time in Northern Ireland, so was used to these things.

“I dropped the dogs and went directly to my office because I knew someone would be needed to be at the end of a telephone.

“The lads and everybody helped out the injured, as the force of the explosion had caused the concrete roof to plummet down on to the lads.”

‘Soft targets’

Lt Col Woody Page, of the Royal Marines at Naval Command Headquarters in Portsmouth, said: “This was an abysmal crime and it’s only right and proper that 20 years on the deaths of the Royal Marines are commemorated.

“It demonstrates to the community of Deal our thanks for their enduring support and moreover to the families of those fallen Royal Marines that they will never be forgotten.”

Labour MP for Dover and Deal Gwyn Prosser said: “It was the fact they were held in such high regard that shocked people to the quick.

“They were such soft targets. They were not armed personnel, they had no real security, they were just musicians.”

The explosion flattened a three-storey accommodation block and caused widespread damage to nearby civilian homes.

A week after the bombing, members of the School of Music marched through Deal and maintained gaps in their ranks that representing the positions of those killed or injured.

The town’s memorial bandstand - where thousands of people have turned out for Sunday’s concert - was erected in 1993 on Walmer Green featuring the names of those who died on 11 sides of the 12-sided structure.

The Royal Marines School of Music relocated from Deal to Hampshire in April 1996 - a housing development is now located on the site of the explosion, along with a memorial garden.