Attacks continue as Adair parades around town

Date: 22nd May '02

Name: article from RM Irish news round up

Attacks continue as Adair parades around town

A cavalcade of loyalist paramilitaries and supporters led by
released terror chief Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair around the streets
of North Belfast last Wednesday has been criticised as "tatally
provocative".

The cavalcade passed through interface areas where the UDA has
been on the rampage over the past 18 months.

Adair, just out of Maghaberry jail after concluding a sentence
for "directing terrorism", also drove around the loyalist
Glenbryn estate, the scene of some of the worst UDA violence seen
in North Belfast in the past year including the Holy Cross
blockade.

Tensions are already high in the area after a number of pipe bomb
attacks and loyalist inspired rioting.

In a statement Sinn Fein Gerry Kelly assembly member for North
Belfast said, "this was a totally provocative act. For over
eighteen months the nationalist community has been on tenterhooks
with over four hundred bomb and gun attacks directed at them by
the UDA. To have a loyalist cavalcade so close to sensitive
interface areas was sheer recklessness".

Nationalist politicians are treating with scepticism the pledge
made by loyalist spokesperson John White that, "the nationalist
people have nothing to fear from Johnny Adair".

White made the claim outside Maghaberry Prison in County Antrim
last week when he joined up to 200 loyalists in welcoming the UDA
leader Johnny Adair on his was release from prison.

Also among the loyalist throng greeting Adair was the six members
of the UDA's so-called Inner Circle.

Adair himself refused to speak to the media instead allowing
White to speak on his behalf.


SECTARIAN ATTACKS CONTINUE

Meanwhile, loyalist attacks against Catholics have continued
across Belfast.

A number of homes belonging to nationalists living in
the in McClure Street off the Ormeau Road were attacked by a gang
of loyalists at 10pm on Sunday. A number of windows broken in the
attacks.

According to Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey a number of loyalist from
the Donegall Pass area came over the railway track and attacked
homes.

Maskey went on to say that residents told him they and made
numerous calls to the RUC/PSNI but they got no response.

Two weeks ago loyalists, also from the from Donegall Pass,
attacked homes in the nearby Markets area.

Maskey concluded saying, "these attacks are clearly the work of
the UVF and it is a worrying development coming on the back of
David Ervine's statement about his diminishing support for the
Good Friday Agreement".


PIPE BOMBS AT CHURCH

The opening service of the annual solemn novena at St Gerard's
Church on the Antrim Road was disrupted after three loyalist pipe
bombs were found at the junction of the Serpentine Road and the
Antrim Road.

The three bombs were primed and ready for use, and one Catholic
resident was told by the RUC/PSNI that these bombs were more
highly sophisticated than the usual loyalist devices.

The find has now raised fears among local nationalists that the
UDA was about to carry out an attack or attacks in the area.
Residents are also worried about the beginning of a new loyalist
bombing campaign.

Danny Lavery, Sinn Fein councillor for the area said, "this
raises serious concerns that on the first night of this Novena
which is to run for nine days, loyalist paramilitaries in North
Belfast are targeting a religious service.

"This isn't the first time loyalists have disrupted a religious
service. last year they disrupted the Cemetery Sunday ceremony at
Carnmoney Cemetery using a car bomb.

"I would call for anyone with influence over these people to use
it before someone is killed", concluded Lavery.


SCHOOLBOY ESCAPES 'BUTCHERS'

A West Belfast schoolboy has had a lucky escape from machete
wielding loyalists. The sixteen year old was walking along the
Springfield Road when two loyalists began chasing him down the
Springfield Road shouting "we're the Shankill butchers and we're
out to get a fenian".

Only for the quick thinking of a local couple who drove between
the loyalists and the young boy,who managed to make his escape
into Watermouth Crescent, saved him from serious injury or even
death.

After the couple intervened the loyalists made their escape back
across the 'peaceline'.

Springfield Residents Action Group spokesperson Frances McAuley
commended the couple on their actions and said they probably
saved the school boy's life .

"Every year coming up to the marching season loyalists keep
upping the ante in this community, someone is going to be killed
if loyalist politicians and community workers don't keep a check
on these thugs" said McAuley.

Meanwhile McAuley pointed out that nationalist residents living
in houses across from Workman Avenue came under stone attack from
loyalist gangs. During the stoning attack a number of windows in
the homes were broken.

"We can only hope that this week's attacks are not a signal of
yet another long hot summer for the people of the Lower
Springfield Road", concluded McAuley.


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