Loyalists blamed for 'significant majority' of violence
Date: 6th Sept '02
Name: RM Irish news article
Loyalists blamed for 'significant majority' of violence
An admission by the RUC/PSNI police Assistant Chief Constable
Alan McQuillan that loyalists are responsible for the
"significant majority" of sectarian violence in the North has
left nationalists wondering why it took so long.
Unionist politicians have repeatedly refused to accept the
one-sided nature of sectarian violence in the North and have
claimed nationalists prompt the trouble.
In fact, figures show the overwhelming majority of sectarian
attacks have been unprovoked and directed against innocent
Catholics. Nationalists have also accused the PSNI of joining
loyalist attacks on them.
McQuillan's statement has contradicted demands by unionist
hardliners for the North's political institutions to be collapsed
in protest at alleged IRA activity.
Speaking in Belfast yesterday, Sinn Fein MP for Mid Ulster Martin
McGuinness said the statement had been been "forced" out of
McQuillan following his controversial claim last week that the
IRA had been involved in interface violence.
"The belated and reluctant admission by the PSNI yesterday that
loyalists have been primarily responsible for orchestrating
sectarian violence is a begrudging acceptance of what Sinn Fein
has been saying all along," he said. "This admission undermines
totally the unionist leadership's attempts to blame republicans
and create a false crisis in the peace process.
"The only real crisis exists within unionism and loyalism and
stems directly from the failure of David Trimble and the UUP
leadership to defend and promote the Good Friday Agreement and to
face down the rejectionists both inside and outside their own
party.
"Republicans are absolutely committed to the Good Friday
Agreement and the Peace Process. The next few weeks may see yet
another threat by the UUP leadership to walk away from the
institutions. If that is the case then it will be solely the
decision and indeed the responsibility of the UUP leadership."
Ulster Unionist councillor Michael Copeland insisted he was
'aghast' at the assessment.
Mr Copeland said: "I have not seen loyalist paramilitaries
promoting violence or using violence in Cluan Place other than in
response to attacks on them."
The DUP's Ian Paisley Jnr, was also unimpressed by the4
development. "By getting into the blame game we are not dealing
with the issue. The reality is they are all at it," he claimed.
INEFFECTIVE
The Assistance Chief Constable also acknowledged that the force's
record on prosecutions was inadequate. "We have not been able to
deal as effectively as I would have wished," he said.
Latest statistics have revealed that over the last three months
94 people had been arrested in connection with rioting in north
and east Belfast.
In the east of the city 38 people were arrested - nine
nationalists and 29 loyalists. In north Belfast there were 56
arrests - 29 nationalists, 27 loyalists.
McQuiillan added that when he was appointed 18 months ago, British
military personnel were only deployed during the marching season,
but were now on the streets "virtually every night".
Sinn Fein representative Stiofan Long later hit out at Mr
McQuillan's claims of any republican involvement in interface
violence.
"I have been in east Belfast night after night over the past
number of months. I have witnessed at first hand Alan McQuillan's
efforts," he said.
"The nationalist and republican community will not be part of a
police force which acts in this manner."
BOMB ATTACKS CONTINUE
Meanwhile, a Catholic family had a lucky escape when a device
exploded at the back door of their north Belfast home last night.
Nationalist politicians blamed loyalist paramilitaries for the
attack in the Wyndham area which occurred shortly after midnight
yesterday.
The attack came a day after the Loyalist Commission -- which is
made up of politicians, clergy, and representatives of the main
loyalist paramilitary groups -- pledged to do all it could to
encourage a 'period of calm' at troubled interfaces.
Sinn Fein councillor Margaret McClenaghan blamed the UDA in the
nearby Torrens estate and accused it of trying to create another
flashpoint.
Ms McClenaghan said a number of Catholic families had been
intimidated over the last few weeks.
"It came within 24 hours of the Loyalist Commission's statement
that there it would be peace and calm. People were very sceptical
about that statement and the commission's so-called 'no first
strike' policy.
"The family are very thankful no-one was injured but they are
deeply shocked."
DEVASTATION BID
And a device surrounded by nails exploded at a Catholic-owned
garage in Obins Street, Portadown, County Armagh, shortly after
midnight.
The device, blamed on the loyalist paramilitary LVF, appeared
intended to detonate the penetrate petrol tanks and cause a
catastrophic explosion over a wide area with damage, injuries or
deaths.
Craigavon Sinn Fein councillor Brian McKeown accused the RUC/PSNI
police of taking 90 minutes to seal off the scene which is less
than 200 yards away from a nationalist residential area.
"Contrary to what's being said to the media, the bomb was
strategically placed beside the pump to cause the maximum effect,
but luckily the loyalists mistook the diesel pump for a petrol
one," said McKeown.
COUNCILLOR TARGETED
Loyalist violence took another turn with a bomb attack on a car
belonging to a Northern Ireland Labour Party councillor
yesterday. The car was parked outside the home of Councillor Mark
Langhammer on the Shore Road at Newtownabbey on the northern
outskirts of Belfast.
No one was injured when the device exploded underneath his car in
an attack blamed on the UFF's south east Antrim brigade. The same
group are believed to be behind at least two recent murders in
the Newtownabbey area as well as arson attacks against a number
of Catholic churches.
Calling for both communities to unite against such sectarian
attacks, Sinn Fein councillor Breige Meehan said the murder bid
was designed to intimidate the entire community.
PSNI DISMISS BULLET THREAT
Sinn Fein Assembly member for West Belfast, Sue Ramsey, has hit
out at the RUC/PSNI after they told a Twinbrook nationalist that
a loyalist threat against him wasn't worth investigating.
Two weeks ago, the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, received
a bullet and a threat in the post, which read, "see you soon
scumbag - UFF". The man passed the threat and the bullet on to
Ramsey before reporting it to the RUC/PSNI. However they told him
that the threat wasn't worth investigating, adding that Ramsey
would be arrested and charged if she was found to have the
bullet.
BANDSMAN ASSAULTS TOURIST
A German tourist suffered eye and head injuries when he was
assaulted by a loyalist bandsman as he attempted to cross Great
Victoria Street in Belfast city centre on Saturday.
Toni Bausenhart told how he was set upon by the UVF thug who
broke free from one of the bands marching under a UVF banner as
he watched the loyalist Black Perceptory marchers return from
parades that occurred throughout the North.
The violent attack happened on the last day of Bausenhart's
four-week sightseeing holiday. "I would not let one stupid person
ruin my trip," he said.
BBC staff at the nearby Blackstaff studios administered first aid
to the badly shocked tourist.
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