The Badger: APRN

Exclusive IRA interview

Tue, 24 Sep 2002 11:29:11 GMT

Army puts onus on British

In its most wide-ranging and comprehensive interview of recent times, the IRA gives its assessment of the peace process, where it believes the difficulties lie and how progress can be made. [Introduction] [Interview]

Forensic scientist does u-turn

Sat, 21 Sep 2002 21:11:56 GMT

Fern Lane

The forensic scientist who told the Widgery Tribunal in 1972 that at least seven of the Bloody Sunday victims had either fired a gun or had been close to someone using a gun before they were killed, admitted to the Saville Inquiry on Tuesday that he could no longer stand by that claim. [Full Article]

Orde's inauspicious start

Fri, 20 Sep 2002 11:23:50 GMT

Fern Lane

The new chief constable of the RUC, Hugh Orde, took up his post on Monday, vowing to stay out of politics. His very first act as chief constable, however, was entirely political. [Full Article]

A triangle of light

Wed, 18 Sep 2002 11:31:50 GMT

Laura Friel

Foolishly, as it turned out, I had hoped for better. But in the event, British Secretary of State John Reid stood amid a gaggle of journalists in Clandeboye Drive and mouthed the same old platitudes. An intelligent man might have said he was here to listen and here to learn. But that was not to be. [Full Article]

Adams slams unionist obstacles

Tue, 17 Sep 2002 12:26:16 GMT

Michael Pierse
From AP/RN

Gerry Adams has branded the upcoming Ulster Unionist Council (UUC) meeting an attempt to "get rid" of the Good Friday Agreement and has hit out at accusations of republican orchestration of sectarian street violence in Belfast. His comments come after another week of sectarian attacks, including abortive loyalist assassination attempts throughout the Six Counties.

Former Hunger Striker addresses Strabane commemoration

Sat, 14 Sep 2002 11:37:39 GMT

From AP/RN

Former Long Kesh Blanketman and Hunger Striker Raymond McCartney was the main speaker at this year's West Tyrone Volunteers' Commemoration.

Durkan urged to support return to Patten

Fri, 13 Sep 2002 23:23:36 GMT

Mitchel McLaughlin
From AP/RN

Sinn Féin's Mitchel McLaughlin this week welcomed Mark Durkan's call for an all-Ireland parliamentary forum and his commitment to human rights protection, but he also said that the SDLP stance on policing falls far short of its stated position on human rights. The party's national chairperson was commenting on remarks made by the SDLP leader at Beal na Bláth in Cork at the weekend.

Officer said all Catholics should be shot

Thu, 12 Sep 2002 11:47:51 GMT

Fern Lane
From AP/RN

The Bloody Sunday Inquiry has been asked to investigate claims that a British Army officer said in 1979 that all Catholics in the North of Ireland should be shot.

Beyond the road map: Preparing for power

Wed, 11 Sep 2002 11:12:19 GMT

From AP/RN

Sinn Féin's Declan Kearney delivered the main address at the John Joe McGirl commemorative weekend earlier this month. In a thought-provoking contribution, he addressed the crucial issue of republican strategy for the achievement of a United Ireland.

"To subvert the tyranny of our execrable government, to break the conmnection with England, the never failing source of all our political evils and to assert the independence of my country - these were my objects. To unite the whole people of Ireland, to abolish the memory of all past dissentions and to substitute the common name of Irishmen in place of denominations of Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter - these were my means."

False claims as Short Strand attacked again

Tue, 10 Sep 2002 11:52:50 GMT

From AP/RN

Short Strand Sinn Féin councillor Joe O'Donnell has dismissed claims by loyalist and unionist representatives that nationalists launched an acid bomb attack on the loyalist Cluan Place area on Tuesday night 27 August.

Tired unionist threat

Mon, 09 Sep 2002 22:43:22 GMT

Michael Pierse
From AP/RN

Reports of further UUP attempts to secure Sinn Féin's exclusion from the Six-County Executive amount to the "same old refrain" from unionism, and offer no alternative to the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Féin national chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin said on Wednesday.

Harassment of Felons set to continue

Fri, 06 Sep 2002 11:58:24 GMT

Laura Friel
From AP/RN

Last month, 13 members and staff of the Felon's Club in Andersonstown, West Belfast, thought they had, at last, a reason to celebrate after Judge Paul McRandall of Belfast's Magistrates Court ordered that cases against them should be dropped.

Sectarian pogrom forces Antrim Catholics to flee

Thu, 05 Sep 2002 22:57:47 GMT

Laura Friel
From AP/RN

Over the last year, Catholics living in Antrim have been subjected to a vicious campaign of sectarian intimidation in which loyalist paramilitaries have repeatedly targeted families in their homes, workers at their place of employment, children and their parents at school and even relatives attending a local cemetery.

PSNI told not to arrest loyalists

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 12:02:36 GMT

from AP/RN

Alliance Avenue residents in North Belfast have asked the Police Ombudsman to investigate the comments of an RUC/PNSI member after he told residents he has been told not to arrest loyalist bombers from Glenbryn.

Reynolds in Ardoyne

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 12:01:05 GMT

from AP/RN

Albert Reynolds was welcomed by Ardoyne Sinn Féin Councillor Margaret McClenaghan at this week's launch of Ardoyne; The Untold Story. The book recounts the stories of 99 Ardoyne people who lost their lives during the Troubles.

SF leads delegation to meet US Consul General

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 11:59:39 GMT

from AP/RN
Margaret McLenaghan

Sinn Féin councillors Margaret McClenaghan and Eoin O'Broin on Wednesday led a delegation of residents from Alliance Avenue in Ardoyne to meet with US Consul General Bairbre Stevenson. The meeting was requested by Sinn Féin to highlight the ongoing loyalist campaign targeted at nationalists in Ardoyne and other areas of Belfast.

Ardoyne Catholics escape UDA gun attack

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 11:56:40 GMT

from AP/RN

A Catholic family of five and a pensioner escaped serious injury on Tuesday night, 20 August, after the UDA sprayed their homes with gunfire just hours after the Red Hand Defenders (RHD), widely accepted as a cover name for the UDA, threatened to target North Belfast Catholics.

Cork women offer Short Strand respite

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 00:28:55 GMT

Mna Le Chéile, a Cork based Women's Forum, has invited families from the Short Strand area of East Belfast to Cork this weekend.

Sinn FÈin press officer assaulted by PSNI in Short Strand

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 00:28:14 GMT

Sinn Féin Chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin has repeated his call for the Police Ombudsman to investigate the partisan behaviour of the PSNI in the Short Strand area of East Belfast after a Sinn Féin Press Officer had his hand broken in an assault by the PSNI on Saturday night.

Caught on camera...PSNI started Short Strand trouble

Tue, 03 Sep 2002 22:10:41 GMT

Fern Lane

The residents of the besieged Short Strand have submitted video evidence to the Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, which gives the lie to RUC/PSNI claims that the violence which erupted in the area on Thursday night and Saturday night was instigated by nationalists. Copies of the videotapes have also been handed to both the British and Irish governments.

Anger at new spytower in South Armagh

Sat, 31 Aug 2002 13:09:29 GMT

The British governments commitment in implementing the Good Friday Agreement in full and publishing a 'rolling programme on demilitarisation' has been well and truly scuppered, says the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Association. They were reacting to the erection of an additional spypost on top of Slievebracken Mountain, Forkhill on Tuesday evening, 13 July.

UUP will damage Process if they walk away from institutions

Fri, 30 Aug 2002 11:40:40 GMT

Conor Murphy

Newry Armagh Assembly member Conor Murphy, has urged the UUP to consider the damage they will do to the peace process if they continue with threats to walk away from the political institutions.

And the parade passed off peacefully

Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:43:29 GMT

Laura Friel

English football thugs have found a simple way of avoiding the sanction of being banned from attending matches. Instead of attacking rival fans at the football stadium, clashes are orchestrated after the match and at some distance from the grounds.

Bandsmen attack homes and SDLP councillor in Strabane

Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:41:58 GMT

Strabane Sinn Féin Councillor Brian McMahon says that people and property in Melmount Villas in the town had a lucky escape during a missile onslaught by loyalist bandsmen on Saturday, 10 August, while the RUC/PSNI stood by.

The Ardoyne double standard

Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:40:37 GMT

Fern Lane

It is not clear exactly what principle was being defended between 8.30am and 8.45am on Saturday morning by the Parades Commission, the RUC, the British Army and, most importantly, the British government, as they conspired to ensure that the Ligoniel Walkers Club got to march, unwanted, through Ardoyne to the beat of a drum decorated with UVF insignia. They then climbed aboard a coach to take them to Derry where, as part of the Apprentice Boys' march and the celebration of centuries of anti-Catholicism, they could also enjoy the abuse of nationalists and the glorification of sectarian murder promoted by the UDA bands who were also there.