IRA stir up violence claim

IRA stir up violence claim

Original post   (by Irish Republican Watch, added Thursday, 20 June 2002 13:40:25 UTC+1)

UTV
THURSDAY 20/06/2002 13:09:47          

IRA stir up violence claim

Senior Republicans are bussing members of the IRA into interface areas
in Northern Ireland in an attempt to create instability ahead of next
year's Assembly election, it was claimed today.

Members of the loyalist Ulster Political Research Group told a press
conference in east Belfast that members of the third battalion of the
IRA in Belfast were involved in different sectarian clashes around the
city.

UPRG spokesman Frankie Gallagher said: ``We believe the people who are
carrying out the violence in north Belfast and east Belfast and to a
degree in the Markets area in south Belfast are part of the third
battalion of the IRA.

``They are controlled and manoeuvred, bussed around by leading members
of the republican movement, and mainly ex-prisoners of the Provisional
IRA.``

Mr Gallagher said that the republican movement had been engaged in a
tactical use of armed struggle since the ceasefires.

He alleged that the current series of street clashes was designed to
drive a wedge between the loyalist and nationalist communities and
between Catholics and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The UPRG said that, with moderate nationalist SDLP members on the
Police Board, Sinn Fein was hoping to use its rival`s participation as
a means of persuading Catholic voters not to support Deputy First
Minister Mark Durkan`s party.

Mr Gallagher called on the government to declare the IRA ceasefire
over.

The UPRG, he claimed, had passed on information to the government
about how the IRA was orchestrating street violence.

Video evidence had also been compiled showing leading republicans
involved in instigating the clashes.

Belfast loyalist councillor Frank McCoubrey urged his community not to
be drawn into street clashes as doing so would contribute to a
republican master plan.

Mr McCoubrey said: ``What we want is the Secretary of State (John
Reid) to come clean with the Protestant people of north, south, east
and west Belfast and throughout the province and tell us if there is a
clear breach of the IRA ceasefire, and if there is, what is he going
to do about it?``

The UPRG also produced an eight-page document on the republican
approach to the peace process, which detailed allegations that the IRA
was adopting a tactical use of armed struggle.

Earlier today, it emerged that Sinn Fein representatives in
Londonderry had criticised nationalists who were involved in recent
street clashes in the city.

An open letter, signed by Sinn Fein minister Martin McGuinness,
national chairman Mitchell McLaughlin, Assembly member Mary Nelis and
10 city councillors, distanced republicans from clashes near the
loyalist Fountain estate.

The letter said: ``Attacks that took place on Tuesday and other recent
times on the Fountain estate by a number of young thugs intent on
doing damage are unacceptable and must not be tolerated.

``These individuals are not republicans or nationalists and should not
be given the dignity of such descriptions.

``Sinn Fein is an Irish republican party founded on the principles of
unity of Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter.

``Sectarianism is the antithesis of everything that republicanism
espouses and we reject attempts to portray those who participate in
acts of sectarianism as representing any shade of republicanism.

``The Sinn Fein leadership and all its elected representatives in
Derry are calling on those responsible for recent sectarian attacks to
desist from such actions. They are wrong, unacceptable and cannot be
tolerated.``

The statement was issued last night just hours before further violence
erupted in Nailor`s Row.

As police officers made an arrest, they were surrounded by a crowd of
40 youths throwing bottles, stones and other missiles including paint
bombs.

One officer fired shots in the air and the patrol managed to withdraw.
There were no reports of any injuries.