News about the Irish & Irish American culture, music, news, sports. This is hosted by the Irish Aires radio show on KPFT-FM 90.1 in Houston, Texas (a Pacifica community radio station)

September 30, 2007

Table of Contents - 09/07

To Index of Monthly Archives
News Searches & Links to News Sources

09/23/07 – SL McAllister Story & Action Alert Correction
----

09/22/07 - AOH Campaign for McAllisters
---

09/18/07 - IAUC Boston Convention Updated Info & Reg Form
----

09/03/07 – PSNI: Brute Force
DJ 09/03/07 PSNI: 'Brute Force'
DJ 09/03/07 Hegarty: MoD Withdraws 'Terrorist' Accusation
DJ 09/04/07 SF's Policing Role Will Upset Voters
TS 09/03/07 Opin: Murals Of Conflict Lay Claim To Peace
DJ 09/03/07 House Prices Fall As Market Slows
----

09/03/07 – Terror Gangs Fight to Keep Street Power
ST 09/02/07 Terror Gangs Fight To Keep Street Power
SL 09/02/07 Reconciliation: Little Can Go A Long Way
SL 09/02/07 Dissidents Furious Over Loyalist Link
NL 09/02/07 Petrol Bomb Attack Threaten's Baby's Life
DJ 08/28/07 Bloody Sunday MP Fined For Driving At 91mph
II 08/29/07 Topless Of The Pops: Daniel Strips For Charity


----

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Table of Contents 08/07
No News Posted in July, 2007
Table of Contents 05/07



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News Searches & Links to News Sources
To Index of Monthly Archives






Posted by: Unknown / 11:58 PM 0 comments

September 24, 2007

McAllister's Mother Appeals for Her Son

News About Ireland & The Irish

BT 09/24/07 Mum Begs: Let My Son Stay In US

*************************

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-
national/article2993574.ece

Mum Begs: Let My Son Stay In US

[Published: Monday 24, September 2007 - 07:42]

By Stephen Breen

The mother of a former republican prisoner facing
deportation from America has expressed fears for her son's
future.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph from her south Belfast
home last night, Ellen McAllister told how she pleaded with
the US government to allow her son, Malachy, and two of his
children, Sean and Nicola, to remain in New Jersey.

The father-of-four fled his Ormeau Road home in 1998 after
a Red Hand Commando gang came within inches of killing his
family.

Mrs McAllister issued her plea after the Irish American
Unity Conference lobby group claimed the family's
deportation was "imminent".

The 77-year-old, who has just returned from a six-week trip
to the United States, said the final decision on her son's
deportation now rests with senators there.

She claimed her son's family would be "ripped apart" if he
was forced to return to Belfast.

Mrs McAllister said: "My son is no threat to anyone. What
crimes have my two grandchildren committed?

"I can't believe this is happening and I just hope the
politicians allow him to remain in America.

" He hasn't been able to scatter his wife's ashes because
he doesn't know where he's going to be in a few weeks time.
We hope to know soon one way or the other what's going to
happen.

"It will break his heart to bring only two of his children
back to Belfast because they will have to start all over
again.

"He has been making a positive contribution to America and
should be allowed to continue the life that he has led for
the last 20 years."

The ex-prisoner told how he had "exhausted" the judicial
process in his bid to remain in the United States.

Malachy said: "It's now just a case of waiting to see if
the senators can get legislation through which will allow
my family to remain in the US.

"This is a humanitarian issue. My kids grew up in America
and they don't know anything different. They are being
affected by a circumstance which is completely out of their
control."

McAllister (50), who has met with former US President Bill
Clinton to discuss case, was jailed in the 1980s after
being implicated by republican supergrass Harry
Kirkpatrick.

© Belfast Telegraph
----


----
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Posted by: Unknown / 12:45 PM 0 comments

September 23, 2007

Sunday Life: McAllister Story & Action Alert Correction

News About Ireland & The Irish

SL 09/23/07 McAllister May Be Boot Out in 2 Weeks

(A suggestion I have received from the Malachy campaign:

If you have the most recent action alert on your web page
OR if you are planning to further share it with others, please
REPLACE the initial wording:

Just hours ago Malachy was contacted by Congressman Rothman's
office regarding interest from Senator FrankLautenberg's office
about introducing a private bill.

with the following wording:

Last week, Malachy was apprised that Senator Frank
Lautenberg's office may be willing to introduce a private
bill on his behalf.

THIS WOULD BE MORE POLITICALLY CORRECT (I am told),

Jay)
----

http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/news/article2991171.ece

US 'may boot ex-INLA man out in 2 weeks'

Sunday, September 23, 2007

By Stephen Breen

A former republican prisoner facing deportation from the
United States could be home within two weeks.

Speaking to Sunday Life from his New Jersey home, Malachy
McAllister told how US senators will give a decision on his
battle to remain in the States before the end of the month.

The father-of-four - who fled Belfast in 1988 after a Red
Hand Commando gang came within inches of killing his family
- hopes the politicians will support his campaign to stay.

McAllister (50) spoke after the Irish American Unity
Conference lobby group claimed his deportation was
"imminent".

He said: "I have exhausted the judicial process and it's
now just a case of waiting to see if the senators can get
legislation through which will allow my family to remain in
the United States.

"We have a strong body of support here because people know
that this is a humanitarian issue.

"My kids grew up in America and they don't know anything
different. They are being affected by a circumstance which
is completely out of their control.

"The case has obviously caused a considerable amount of
concern to my family and I can only pray there will be a
successful outcome to it."

McAllister, who has been backed by US congressmen Joe
Crawley and Steve Rothman, is facing expulsion from his
adopted country because of a conviction in the 1980s.

He was jailed when he signed a police statement after being
implicated by republican supergrass Harry Kirkpatrick.

The weapons used in the attack on his home were later found
- along with McAllister's personal details - in a loyalist
arms dump.

McAllister's mother Ellen said her son's family would be
"ripped apart" if he was forced to return to Belfast. She
admitted: "My son and his two kids are no threat to anyone.

" What crimes have my two grandchildren committed?

"If he is such a threat why did they let him tour the White
House?"

She added: "He hasn't even been able to scatter his wife's
ashes because he doesn't know where he's going to be in a
few weeks' time.

"It will break his heart to bring his children back to
Belfast because he will have to start all over again.

"He is making a positive contribution to America and should
be allowed to continue the life that he has led there for
the last 20 years."

----
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To September Index
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Posted by: Unknown / 10:42 AM 0 comments

September 22, 2007

New AOH McAllister Campaign

Last week, Malachy was apprised that Senator Frank
Lautenberg's office may be willing to introduce a private bill on his
behalf.

PLEASE SEE BELOW AND CALL BOTH NUMBERS IF WE CAN GET ENOUGH
MESSAGES LEFT THIS WEEKEND IT MAY BE ENOUGH TO SHOW SENATOR
LAUTENBERG THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND IT COULD
GET THE BILL INTRODUCED MONDAY OR TUESDAY

Malachy McAllister and his two youngest children are facing
deportation when the suspension of their order of removal
expires in September. They have been advised by Congressman
Steve Rothman that a private bill in the Senate, similar to
one attempted by Mr. Rothman in the House, would be their
only hope to remain in New Jersey with the older McAllister
children and their families.

To help the McAllister's our efforts must be focused this
weekend September 21, 22, 23 rd to contact the offices of
Senator Frank Lautenberg. Our phone calls will demonstrate
the importance of this issue.
----

Please call the Senator's NJ office at: 973-639-8700

AND his DC office at: 202-224-3224

And leave the following message:

My name is _______________________________

I am calling from __________________________

I am calling to ask for Senator Lautenberg's support to
prevent the deportation of Malachy McAllister and his
children Sean and Nicola. Please Senator Frank Lautenberg
introduce a private bill in the US Senate that would grant
permanent resident status to this deserving family.

Thank you.

(If you receive this message/email after the 23rd please
continue to call)
Posted by: Unknown / 6:51 AM 0 comments

September 19, 2007

IAUC: McAllisters' Deportation is No 'Peace Dividend'



IAUC: McALLISTERS’ DEPORTATION IS NO ‘PEACE DIVIDEND’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jay Dooling (rdooling@swbell.net)

Irish American Unity Conference
National Office
611 Pennsylvania Ave, SE #4150
Washington, D.C. 20003
#1-800-947-4282
http://www.irishamericanunityconference.org/

IAUC: McALLISTERS’ DEPORTATION IS NO ‘PEACE DIVIDEND’

As Malachy McAllister and his family face imminent
deportation from the United States, Matt Morrison,
Political Action Chair of the Irish American Unity
Conference (IAUC), issued this statement:

“As a former Irish Republican prisoner and deportee, I
abhor the planned deportation of the McAllister family by
the United States Government. It was not many years ago
that I and my family, along with a number of my comrades
and their families, were in a similar predicament.

“For many years, the ‘peace dividend’ was held out as an
incentive to engage in the process which ultimately
resulted in the current peace in Ireland. The United
States Government, in pursuing the McAllister family's
deportation, is undermining the concept of the peace
dividend, and is sending out a message that is driven by a
desire for retribution that is dangerously irrational and
anachronistic.

“The United States Government has placed itself at odds
with the people of Ireland who are working hard to achieve
a lasting peace based on the twin foundations of democracy
and equality. The United States Government is undermining
the new power sharing assembly and is thwarting the efforts
of the Irish and British Governments and the numerous
political parties who have engaged in peace building
efforts.”

The McAllisters are a Catholic family from Northern
Ireland. They have been seeking political asylum in the
United States since 1996. On October 2, 1988, two masked
loyalist gunmen smashed the front window of the
McAllister’s home and fired 26 shots into the house
narrowly missing three of their children and their
grandmother.

The Royal Ulster Constabulary notified them that Malachy's
security information was found in a loyalist 'safe house'
along with the guns used in the shooting.

Other members of the McAllister's family had also been
targeted. Theresa Clinton, a relative, was murdered when
loyalists fired shots into her living room. Bernadette's
family members had been warned by the RUC to take security
precautions because, like Malachy, their personal details
were in the hands of paramilitary organizations.

As recently as 2005, a loyalist terror group threatened the
McAllisters, telling the Irish Echo newspaper stating that,
“we won't miss next time".

Matt Morrison concluded by saying:

“You cannot say that you are for peace in Ireland and yet
remain silent or inactive in the face of the imminent
McAllister deportation.”

END
----

Contact: Jay Dooling (rdooling@swbell.net)

Irish American Unity Conference
National Office
611 Pennsylvania Ave, SE #4150
Washington, D.C. 20003
800-947-4282

http://www.irishamericanunityconference.org/

National Press Officer: Jay Dooling
Email: rdooling@swbell.net

"Working for Justice and Peace in a Re-united Ireland”
The IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE is a nationwide,
nonpartisan, nonsectarian, chapter-based human rights
organization working for justice and peace in Ireland. We
are a wholly American 501(c)(4) organization that advocates
the end of British colonial occupation and the peaceful
reunification of Ireland . We endeavor to achieve these
goals by working through the American democratic process.
Individually, our members represent every occupational and
educational stratum in the United States .


Posted by: Unknown / 8:59 AM 0 comments

September 18, 2007

IAUC Boston Convention - Updated Info & Reg Form



Please remember to register for the upcoming Boston Convention,
Oct. 5, 6 & 7. Registration form is below. If you want more
information, please go to:

www.irishamericanunityconference.org or call 1-800-947-4282 or
email: iauc.convention@sbcglobal.net

The convention this year will focus on a Lasting Peace and
Justice. (Note: New information)

Friday, October 5

6:00-7:00PM------Registration and Cocktail Hour

7:00PM-----------Welcome

Opening Remarks--Former Boston Mayor Ambassador Ray Flynn

7:30–8:30PM------Dr. Peter Shirlow, Queen’s University, Belfast
-----------------Mr. Raymond Stewart, Finaghy Community Center,
-----------------Belfast

8:30PM-----------Live Music
----

Saturday, October 6

8:30–9:30AM------Continental Breakfast and Registration

9:30-9:45AM------Welcome and Moment of Silence for Those Who
-----------------Died in the Conflict

9:45-11:45AM-----Former Irish P.O.W.’s, The Hopes for the Future
-----------------Paul Harkin, Terry Kirby, Bobby Lavery and Matt
-----------------Morrison

12:00 noon-------Lunch – Presentation of Awards

Honorees:
-----------------Terry Kirby – Dan O’Kennedy Award
-----------------Alan Brecknell – Sean MacBride
-----------------Mairtin O’Muilleoir – Paul O’Dwyer Award
-----------------Dr. Robert Linnon & Ret. Judge Andrew Somers –
-----------------Special Recognition Awards

1:30-3:00PM-------Roy Garland, Member UUP and Gerry McHugh, Sinn
Fein - Two Opposing Views: Where Do We Go From Here?

3:00-3:45PM------Mairtin O’Muilleoir- Belfast Media Group

4:00–4:45PM------Raymond McCord, Collusion from a Unionist
Perspective

4:45-5:30PM------Nuala O’Loan – Police Ombudsman, Final Report
-----------------Before Leaving Office

6:30PM-----------Cocktails and Dinner
Opening Remarks--Dr. Robert Linnon, Chairman of the Board
Welcome----------John Fogarty, National President
-----------------Presentation of Frank Durkan Award
-----------------Presentation of Special Recognition Award to
-----------------Massachusetts Senator Jack Hart

Keynote Speaker--Fr. Aidan Troy, C.P. Holy Cross, Ardoyne, North
-----------------Belfast Understanding and Ending the Escalating
-----------------Cycle of Teen Suicides
----

Sunday, October 7

9:00–10:00AM-----Continental Breakfast

10:00-11:00AM----Celebration of Mass by Fr. Aidan Troy, C.P.

11:00-2:00PM-----General Membership Meeting
----

Irish American Unity Conference
Conference Registration Form

The IAUC Annual Convention
October 5 & 6, 2007

Boston, MA
Hyatt Harborside Hotel

Hotel reservations should be made individually by calling
1-800-233-1234 or 617-568-1234 (ask if the IAUC special rate
is still available)

The conference registration is $165 per person for the entire
weekend. Saturday only is $125 and $40 for Friday night only.

Please return this form with the requested information to:
Gretchen Bales, National Treasurer, P.O. Box 78, Selma, IN 47383

Name_____________________________________________________________

Street Address:__________________________________________________

City, State, Zip:________________________________________________

Weekend---------_____$165
Saturday only---_____$125
Friday only-----_____$40
Donation to IAUC________

Method of payment:

_____Check or money order or ______Credit Card:

Name on card:___________________________________________________

Type of Card:_____VISA ____Mastercard

Card Number:____________________________________________________

Expiration date:________________________________________________
Posted by: Unknown / 8:27 PM 0 comments

September 16, 2007

IAUC PR: Former Irish Poltical Prisoners Should Not Be Deported



IAUC: FORMER IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS SHOULD NOT BE DEPORTED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jay Dooling (rdooling@swbell.net)

Irish American Unity Conference
National Office
611 Pennsylvania Ave, SE #4150
Washington, D.C. 20003
#1-800-947-4282
http://www.irishamericanunityconference.org/

IAUC: FORMER IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS SHOULD NOT BE DEPORTED

Malachy McAllister and his family will be deported from the United
States unless the US House of Representatives and the Senate pass a
bill to halt this action. The Irish American Unity Conference
(IAUC) urges immediate action.

Pól Ó hEarcáin, National Vice President of the IAUC, said: “Senator
Menendez (Democrat, NJ) needs to introduce a bill to stop the
deportation of Malachy and his family. Representative Steven Rothman
(Democrate – NJ) has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives.
http://rothman.house.gov/news_releases/rel_060805c.htm

“The department of home land security will deport Malachy
McAllister and his young family in two weeks if no action occurs.
This is the last chance to help this deserving family.

“STOP THE DEPORTATIONS OF FORMER IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS”.

The McAllisters are a Catholic family from Northern Ireland
who have been seeking political asylum in the United States
since 1996.

On October 2, 1988, two masked loyalist gunmen smashed the
front window of the McAllister home and fired 26 shots into
the house narrowly missing three of the McAllister children
and their grandmother, who was minding them. Malachy and
his wife, Bernadette (who has since died of cancer in
2004), were not home at the time.

They were later notified by the Royal Ulster Constabulary
that Malachy's security information was found in a loyalist
'safe house' along with the guns used in the shooting.

This information confirmed that the McAllisters were being
deliberately targeted and that the loyalist attack had been
planned in collusion with the security forces. Other
members of the McAllister's family had also been targeted.
Theresa Clinton, a relative, was murdered when loyalists
fired shots into her living room. Bernadette's family
members had been warned by the RUC to take security
precautions because, like Malachy, their personal details
were in the hands of paramilitary organizations.

The threats have followed the McAllisters even here to the
United States. In 2005, a loyalist terror group called the
Red Hand Defenders emailed a threat against the McAllisters
to the Irish Echo newspaper stating that, "We won't miss
next time."

It is not clear why the government has chosen to proceed in
the McAllister case, while suspending action on many of the
other Irish 'deportee' cases. The McAllisters have had the
constant support of a number of our Congressmen and
Senators, whose intervention resulted in a 'suspension of
order of removal'.

The blatant threats of violence that have been made against
the McAllister family still stands. Despite the many
welcome improvements brought about by the Peace Process,
the reality is that loyalist paramilitaries have refused to
decommission and are still armed and threatening. Many
believe that if forced to return to Northern Ireland the
McAllisters will once again be the targets of violence.


END
----

Contact: Jay Dooling (rdooling@swbell.net)

Irish American Unity Conference
National Office
611 Pennsylvania Ave, SE #4150
Washington, D.C. 20003
800-947-4282

http://www.irishamericanunityconference.org/

National Press Officer: Jay Dooling
Email: rdooling@swbell.net

"Working for Justice and Peace in a Re-united Ireland”
The IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE is a nationwide,
nonpartisan, nonsectarian, chapter-based human rights
organization working for justice and peace in Ireland. We
are a wholly American 501(c)(4) organization that advocates
the end of British colonial occupation and the peaceful
reunification of Ireland . We endeavor to achieve these
goals by working through the American democratic process.
Individually, our members represent every occupational and
educational stratum in the United States .
Posted by: Unknown / 10:28 AM 0 comments

Immediate Action Needed to Help McAllister Family


Malachy McAllister

(Poster’s Note: If you are not a member of the IAUC,
please HELP Malachy and his family by making a similar
plea to Senator Menendez. Without the Senator’s help
the McAllister’s will be deported SOON! For more info:
http://www.mcallistercampaign.com/home.htm

Jay)
----

A Charde

Lets network this information by sending it to all your
friends. We need to let Senator Menendez (Democrat, NJ)
understand that Irish America wishes to
STOP THE DEPORTATIONS OF FORMER IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS.

The department of home land security will deport Malachy
McAllister and his young family in two weeks from now if we
do not act. This is their last chance so please help this
deserving family.

Pól Ó hEarcáin
National Vice President,
Irish American Unity Conference
----

From: Margaret Townsend
Subject: IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED TO HELP McALLISTER FAMILY

The McAllisters are a Catholic family from Northern Ireland
who have been seeking political asylum in the United States
since 1996.

On October 2, 1988, two masked loyalist gunmen smashed the
front window of the McAllister home and fired 26 shots into
the house narrowly missing three of the McAllister children
and their grandmother, who was minding them. Malachy and
his wife, Bernadette (who has since died of cancer in
2004), were not home at the time.

They were later notified by the Royal Ulster Constabulary
that Malachy's security information was found in a loyalist
'safe house' along with the guns used in the shooting.

This information confirmed that the McAllisters were being
deliberately targeted and that the loyalist attack had been
planned in collusion with the security forces. Other
members of the McAllister's family had also been targeted.
Theresa Clinton, a relative, was murdered when loyalists
fired shots into her living room. Bernadette's family
members had been warned by the RUC to take security
precautions because, like Malachy, their personal details
were in the hands of paramilitary organizations.

The threats have followed the McAllisters even here to the
United States. In 2005, a loyalist terror group called the
Red Hand Defenders emailed a threat against the McAllisters
to the Irish Echo newspaper stating that, "We won't miss
next time."

It is not clear why the government has chosen to proceed in
the McAllister case, while suspending action on many of the
other Irish 'deportee' cases. The McAllisters have had the
constant support of a number of our Congressmen and
Senators, whose intervention resulted in a 'suspension of
order of removal'.

Unfortunately, that stay expires in early September.
Congressman Steven Rothman introduced a private bill in the
House.

Now the McAllisters only hope may be if Senator Menendez
will introduce legislation in the Senate to delay or
suspend the McAllister's deportation.

It is URGENT that we contact Sen. Menendez NOW and we can
do that in any, or all, of the following ways:

1. There is a letter below that can be printed and mailed
to the senator's office.

2. Print the letter and fax it to him at 202-228-2197. (If
you would like to mail or fax the letter please remember to
sign it with your name and full address).

3. You can call his Washington office at 202-224-4744 and
use the following script as a guide if you like.

My name is ______. I live in _________, and I am a
member of the Irish American Unity Conference.

I'm calling on behalf of Malachy McAllister and his family.

I'm urging Senator Menendez to introduce legislation in the
Senate immediately to protect the McAllister family from
deportation.

*************************

(There are other Irish American organizations who will also
be contacting the Senator's office. Even so, you'll
sometimes get an aide on the phone who doesn't know
anything about the issue so you may have to spell names for
them and repeat the message so they get it down clearly).

Let's do all we can to keep Malachy and his children here
in the U.S. so they can live in the peace and safety they
deserve.

Margaret Townsend
----

PROPOSED LETTER:

September 1, 2007

The Honorable Robert Menendez
317 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Menendez,

As a member of the Irish American Unity Conference I am
well aware of the invaluable support you have given to many
important Irish issues and express my gratitude for your
constancy and courage. I am particularly grateful for the
leadership role you assumed in defending Malachy McAllister
and his family when they were first threatened with
deportation some years ago. Sadly, that threat still looms
over the McAllister family.

Malachy and his two youngest children are facing
deportation when the suspension of their order of removal
expires in early September. They have been advised by
Congressman Steven Rothman that a private bill in the
Senate, similar to one attempted by Mr. Rothman in the
House, would be their only hope to remain in New Jersey
with the older McAllister children and their families.
This legislation is crucial to secure the safety of Malachy
and his children.

The blatant threats of violence that have been made against
the McAllister family still stands. Despite the many
welcome improvements brought about by the Peace Process,
the reality is that loyalist paramilitaries have refused to
decommission and are still armed and threatening. Many
believe that if forced to return to Northern Ireland the
McAllisters will once again be the targets of violence.

I respectfully request that you give this matter your
immediate attention and introduce legislation in the Senate
as soon as possible. Again, I thank you for the courage
and leadership you have shown over the years in addressing
many vital Irish issues.


Sincerely,
----

Full Contact info for the Senator

OFFICE LOCATIONS:
317 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
202.224.4744
202.228.2197 fax

One Gateway Center,
Suite 1100
Newark, New Jersey 07102
973.645.3030
973.645.0502 fax

208 White Horse Pike, Suite 18
Barrington, New Jersey 08007
856.757.5353
856.546.1526 fax

Email form page at:
http://menendez.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm




Posted by: Unknown / 8:05 AM 0 comments

September 03, 2007

PSNI: Brutal Force

News about Ireland and the Irish

DJ 09/03/07 PSNI: 'Brute Force'
DJ 09/03/07 Hegarty: MoD Withdraws 'Terrorist' Accusation

Daniel Hegarty
DJ 09/04/07 SF's Policing Role Will Upset Voters
TS 09/03/07 Opin: Murals Of Conflict Lay Claim To Peace
DJ 09/03/07 House Prices Fall As Market Slows

*************************

http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/39Brute-force39.3168203.jp

PSNI: 'Brute Force'

One of the injuries sustained by three men in the early
hours of Saturday morning.

The PSNI have been accused of acting 'in a brutal manner'
during an incident in Cornshell Fields in the early hours
of Saturday morning when three men, one of them suffering
from cerebral palsy, were arrested.

The Sunday was inundated with calls yesterday from people
in the area who said that they could see no reason for the
heavy handed police presence and the subsequent events.

The mother and wife of those arrested told the Sunday her
account of what happened: "The police arrived at our door
and they claimed they had received an allegation against my
son. Now they did not ask him about this allegation or give
him a chance to give his side of the story.

"Before I had a chance to open the door when they knocked
they came in and they were very hyper and aggressive. They
were shouting and pushed one of my sons up against the
wall. My other son, the one they wanted to talk to was in
the toilet, and I told them that but they continued to
behave very aggressively. When my son appeared they grabbed
him, pulled him out to the garden and banged his head of a
fence. My husband came down the stairs and went out to see
what was happening and they grabbed him as well.


"My other son, who suffers from cerebral palsy was then
grabbed and they hit him across the back and they arrested
him. I had to dive and try and protect my other son. It was
absolutely disgusting the way the police behaved.

"After a couple of hours they brought my son with cerebral
palsy back and they acted as if they were doing me a
favour. He has been very upset since then and can't
understand what is happening."

Another resident of Cornshell Fields resident told the
Sunday: "I couldn't believe the noise the police were
making. They arrived and sat outside the house for 45
minutes and then they started bringing people out of the
house.

"I saw them bringing one man out and shoving him into the
car and then a female police officer started shouting abuse
at him when he was in the car.

"I saw them bringing a second fellah out to the car and he
didn't really seem to be offering any kind of resistance.
At this point one of the police men said to another 'give
me my baton,' while he had the fellah at the back of the
car.

"At this point landrovers arrived and it was just complete
chaos. The police seemed to have no respect for anyone else
in the area. It seems ridiculous that police would send so
many officers to the one scene when there was very little
trouble to begin with."

Another resident said: "I have tried to call the police in
the past over serious incidents and couldn't get one but
there seemed to be no shortage here for what did not look
like a serious incident."

A spokesperson for the 32 County Sovereignty Movement said:
"After a recent incident with a former councillor
politicians and clergy fell over themselves to condemn it
yet after an incident like this their silence is
deafening."

A police spokesperson said: "Police were responding to a
call from a member of the public. They were confronted with
a violent and aggressive situation. Three men, aged 28, 29
and 53 were arrested for disorderly behaviour and assault
on police." Police confirmed that one of the men was later
'dearrested' due to his mental condition, this is believed
to refer to the man suffering from cerebral palsy.

Last Updated: 03 September 2007 9:58 AM

*************************

http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Daniel39s-name-cleared.3164357.jp

Hegarty: MoD Withdraws 'Terrorist' Accusation

Daniel's name cleared

By Kyle White

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has offered its
"sincere apologies" to the family of an innocent Derry
teenager shot dead by British soldiers after it wrongly
labelled the youth a 'terrorist.'

Daniel Hegarty (15) was fatally injured during 'Operation
Motorman' in the Creggan in the early hours of July 31,
1972.

The unarmed teenager was described by the MoD as a
'terrorist' in its analysis of 'Operation Banner' - the
British Army codename for operations in Northern Ireland
between August 1969 and July 31, 2007.

News that the inaccurate reference has been removed from
the report, which was contained in a document published on
the MoD's website, was yesterday welcomed by Daniel
Hegarty's sister, Margaret Brady.

"I welcome the fact that this document is to be amended,"
she said. "It's wrong that we should have to fight to clear
Daniel's name when we were wronged in the first place. I
only wish they (MoD) would accept that the British Army
shot many many people without justification and where they
posed no threat.

"Young Seamus Bradley was shot that same night and his
inquest found that he was unarmed."

A spokesperson for the MoD confirmed that an error had been
made and apologised to the Hegarty family.

"The paragraph in question is inaccurate and this should
have been picked up on during proof reading, but
unfortunately was not. I recognise the considerable
distress this must have caused...and I have instructed the
report be removed from our website and an amended version
produced. I would also like to offer my sincere apologies
to Daniel's family."

The issue was brought to the attention of the MoD on behalf
of the Hegarty family by the Pat Finucane Centre in Derry,
which highlighted the discrepancy in July this year.

A letter was sent to Defence Minister, Des Brown,
requesting that the document be withdrawn and the reference
to Daniel Hegarty be corrected.

The Pat Finucane Centre pointed out in the letter that Mr.
Brown - then NIO Minister - had previously written to the
Hegarty family in 2003, stating that "neither I nor the
Government have ever said that Daniel was a terrorist."

Stephanie English, Pat Finucane Centre, said the
development represented a "small victory" for the Hegarty
family.

"To be honest, we thought we were in for the long haul and
that much more pressure would be needed, but it seems that
very few people in Whitehall are willing to stand over this
document, which is littered with inaccuracies,
exaggerations and deeply racist assumptions.

Victory

"We do feel it important to set the record straight. It's a
pity that the other rubbish cannot be corrected, but at
least this represents a small victory for the Hegarty
family."

The MoD spokesperson added "...the Secretary of State has
previously written letters to the effect that Daniel is
considered innocent and we continue to stand by those
comments."

Last Updated: 31 August 2007 10:57 AM

*************************

http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/SFs-policing-role-will-upset.3169406.jp

SF's Policing Role Will Upset Voters

By Staff reporter

The SDLP's leader on Limavady Council, Michael Coyle, says
Sinn Féin's decision to join the District Policing
Partnership in Limavady could prove a "step too far for
voters".

The former Mayor of Limavady, accusing Sinn Fein of
shirking its responsibilities in monitoring local policing
over the years, says the party has opted to follow the
example set by the SDLP.

“What will the voters who elected Sinn Féin on the
understanding that it would not work with the PSNI think
now? Will this be a step too far for those SF voters?

“Instead of shining a light in dark places, Sinn Féin in
Limavady is trying to cover-up their mistakes and
uncertainties. They have to blame the SDLP, because they
know they are in a catch-up situation. They have to justify
their poor performance to their electorate. After so many
years of...shirking their responsibilities in monitoring
local policing, it is strange to hear them clambering
aboard to join in the Limavady Policing Partnership.”

Mr. Coyle, who is also a former MLA, said the
nationalist/republican majority on the DPP would still hold
the majority sway, regardless of whether or not a 15, 17 or
19 member model was used to determine the make-up of the
DPP.

“The District Policing Partnerships are not defunct, they
will be restructured - that is the number of members will
change and the members may change, however there basic
operation will not. The political balance of
republican/nationalist versus unionist is in the ratio of
6-3.

“The overall gender balance is maintained within the
partnership when the independent members are taken into
account.

“Whether the 15, 17 or 19 model is used in the makeup of
the DPP, the d’Hondt system ensures a fair political
distribution on the partnership.

“It is a bit of a surprise to hear Sinn Féin complain about
expenditure of Limavady DPP on one hand and on the other
they want an extra Sinn Féin councillor as well as an extra
independent member on the partnership, with the extra cost
that will incur.

“Surely 15 members on the DPP is a good compromise, giving
sufficient political representation while keeping the
expenditure reasonable.”

Last Updated: 03 September 2007 3:40 PM

*************************

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/252187

Opin: Murals Of Conflict Lay Claim To Peace

Sep 03, 2007 04:30 AM

The iconography of conflict often outlasts battles and the
lives of those who fight them. In the American South,
Confederate flags still fly, though the government they
represent was defeated 142 years ago. In Britain, the poppy
has grown in significance, even as the number of World War
I survivors has fallen to single figures. In Northern
Ireland, the outbreak of peace hasn't diminished the status
of visual symbols of the Troubles. Murals are still being
painted and banners carried.

But their purpose is shifting. Images from Northern
Ireland's conflict, though barely over, now claim to assert
cultural identity. "Sharp uniforms, painted banners, flute,
drum and bagpipe playing from award-winning bands ...
create a colourful kaleidoscope for the senses," Tourism
Ireland promised of this summer's "Orangefest 2007" –
better known as the marching season, with its associated
strife. The murals of Belfast and Derry have long attracted
tourists, but the shock of seeing bombs, balaclavas and
Armalite rifles painted on the ends of terrace houses on
the Shankill is giving way to pacific artwork recalling
George Best or the sinking of the Belfast-built Titanic.

At their best, these murals reflect real change. The
People's Gallery records the Troubles in 11 striking images
that once helped perpetuate them, including The Runner, a
boy fleeing CS gas, and Petrol Bomber, a masked man shown
in 1969. They record violence and suffering, without much
bitterness. That's true too of non-sectarian murals painted
jointly by Danny Devenny, a former republican prisoner, and
Mark Ervine, a loyalist. Now they plan to paint Beatles
album covers on walls in Liverpool.

Should Northern Ireland's iconography be classified
alongside Beatlemania? Not yet, given the danger of a
nostalgia for battles. The Orange Order's commemoration of
17th-century conflict fed 20th-century feuds. Murals and
marches are evolving. It's too soon to be sure they
celebrate the end of conflict rather than sustain the
threat of its return.
----

This is an edited version of an editorial that appeared
Friday in the Guardian, London.

*************************

http://www.derryjournal.com/ViewArticle.aspx?sectionid=5909&articleid=3168786

House Prices Fall As Market Slows

House prices have dropped 3% since the start of the year
revealing further evidence of a slowdown in the Republic's
once booming property market, new figures show.

The average price paid by home-buyers in July was 301,267
euro, around the same as in June 2006, according to the
latest Permanent TSB/ESRI house price index. This marks a
drop of almost 10,000 euro on January's average figure of
311,078 euro.

In the last seven months Dublin house prices dropped by
3.8% compared with 3.4% in the rest of the country, while
in the commuter counties the figure fell by 4.2%. The
average price paid for a house in the capital in July was
411,069 euro, while elsewhere it was 257,372 euro. This
compares with last December's figures of 427,343 euro and
266,339 euro.

----
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Terror Gangs Fight To Keep Street Power

News about Ireland and the Irish

ST 09/02/07 Terror Gangs Fight To Keep Street Power
SL 09/02/07 Reconciliation: Little Can Go A Long Way
SL 09/02/07 Dissidents Furious Over Loyalist Link
NL 09/02/07 Petrol Bomb Attack Threaten's Baby's Life
DJ 08/28/07 Bloody Sunday MP Fined For Driving At 91mph
II 08/29/07 Topless Of The Pops: Daniel Strips For Charity



*************************

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/northernirelandassembly/story/0,,2160847,00.html

Terror Gangs Fight To Keep Street Power

As hoodlums invade the paramilitaries' turf, the tarring
and feathering of an alleged drug dealer in Belfast,
cheered on by locals, signals a return to vigilante
'policing'. Henry McDonald reports

Sunday September 2, 2007
The Observer

In broad daylight, close to one of Belfast's busiest,
trendiest quarters, they staged a brazen 'arrest'
operation.

Jock Nelson was stopped, searched and, his captors said,
was found to be carrying up to six bags of crack cocaine.
Although he was 'released' after the drugs were allegedly
seized, Nelson's time on 'remand' was shortlived. Forty-
eight hours after he was confronted on Belfast's Bradbury
Place the alleged drug dealer suffered a humiliating
punishment.

Those who 'arrested' Nelson on Friday, 24 August, however,
were not drug squad officers from the Police Service of
Northern Ireland. Instead they came from that section of
society offering an 'alternative justice system' to the
official rule of law. Jock Nelson fell into the hands of
the Ulster Defence Association, and the price he was to pay
for his alleged crimes brought back memories of the darkest
days of the Troubles.

Last Sunday the ex-pub bouncer was tarred and feathered and
a placard hung around his neck naming him as a 'drug
dealing scumbag'. This act of public humiliation in front
of women and children at shops in south Belfast followed a
savage beating earlier that afternoon.

His mother, Jean Nelson, angrily describes the charge that
her son was supplying crack to teenagers as 'slander'. She
has said little else except to plead for privacy and to
warn reporters that her family, including her son's four
children, still live on the Taughmonagh estate.

She could also point out that those who carried out the
attack are open to charges of hypocrisy. Loyalist and
police sources told The Observer this weekend that one of
the UDA's most notorious young gunmen - who also lives on
the estate, and who is a former associate of Johnny 'Mad
Dog' Adair - finances a major cocaine-dealing operation in
south Belfast. Although he is strictly 'hands off' the
dealing, his money supports a lucrative trade which
operates out of a bar close to Belfast city centre.

'I wouldn't mind if they (the UDA) were genuine in wanting
to rid their community of drugs,' one veteran loyalist said
yesterday. 'But they themselves are up to their eyeballs in
drugs in the south of the city. I know people from the east
who come over to this power either on Saturday night or
early on Sunday morning to buy their coke. Maybe the guy
they claim is dealing was queering their pitch.' Nelson has
fled Northern Ireland for Scotland and is unlikely to
return to Taughmonagh.

Meanwhile all traces of the deed have been erased. The spot
where he was tarred and feathered has been hosed down and
swept up. But the cleaning-up operation was not an act of
collective atonement, motivated by shame over what had
occurred. On Friday afternoon there appeared to be wide
support for this most primitive form of 'justice'.

On the surface Taughmonagh is a far cry from the sink
estates of urban England where, according to David Cameron,
anarchy reigns. The area borders the more affluent,
increasingly Catholic upper-middle-class Malone. Yet even
Taughmonagh has little or no graffiti on its walls; most
gardens have neatly trimmed lawns and carefully tended
flower beds. Apart from the odd Union Jack and Red Hand of
Ulster flag flapping on street lights there is little
evidence that this is a loyalist stronghold, home to Jackie
McDonald, the head of the UDA.

For those living on the estate, however, the fear of drugs
taking hold among young people is widely held. When the
victim of the 'tar and feather' attack was forced on to a
main road, the placard placed around his neck and his
plight filmed by mobile phone, the locals admitted there
were cheers of support.

Yesterday what Deborah McKinstry, 27, had to say was
typical of Taughmonagh residents in their attitude to the
incident. 'He was not hurt. He was humiliated, and in a way
he deserved it; people like that deserve humiliation. Maybe
it was not the right way to go about it, but people are
dealing drugs to kids and deserve to be made an example of.
There have been worse punishments in the area, OK?'

Another mother on the estate, Joanne Stewart, 46, showed
little sympathy. 'I know he was supposed to be dealing
drugs to wee kids. Generally I don't believe in punishment
beatings or anything of a violent nature, but I suppose
it's a way of getting a message across.'

Amy Clarke, 27, also of Taughmonagh, said Nelson got off
lightly. 'I suppose he did deserve it, but was it a warning
enough? It was a can of tar, cold tar and feathers.'

'That guy was the lowest of the low,' said Peter Browne.
'Nothing is being done. Kids are exposed to God knows
what.'

No community leaders or, indeed, local UDA members were
prepared to comment. One local, who said that he was
appalled by the attack, added: 'I can't talk to you, as I
have to live here.' One community worker who spoke
anonymously contrasted the estate with areas like Croxteth
in Liverpool where teenage gangland violence led to the
death of 11-year-old Rhys Jones last month.

'Why are these attacks so popular? Because working-class
people over here won't tolerate scumbags and hoods taking
over their areas. They've been used to paramilitaries
keeping the hoods in check for years. They don't want their
areas to become like them estates in England where you
can't go out the door for fear of being set upon by wee
thugs and criminals.'

Even though places like Taughmonagh have endured 35 years
in a state of near civil war, the social problems on this
estate are nowhere near as grave as those in urban Britain
or the Republic of Ireland. Unlike Croxteth or gun-ridden
estates such as those in Limerick, ordinary criminals don't
have the same access to firearms. Illegal weapons remain
under the tight control of paramilitaries, who until now
have resisted selling guns to local, non-political gangs.
Nor are Belfast's drug problems comparable to those of
Merseyside or Dublin. There is little or no market, for
instance, for heroin or crack in Belfast.

One senior Police Service of Northern Ireland detective
said: 'Nothing moves in Taughmonagh, not even a dog,
without the UDA knowing about it.' The movement's political
wing - the Ulster Political Research Group - has issued
vehement denials that the UDA was responsible.

The MP for South Belfast, Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP,
was sceptical of this claim. He described the attack as
'the work of hypocritical criminals. No one is seriously
suggesting a rival gang can operate on the Taughmonagh
estate without the UDA's knowledge or blessing. I have no
doubt the UDA had a hand in this. It deserves our
condemnation and nothing else.'

But there were few others putting themselves forward to
condemn the tarring and feathering. The incident had echoes
of a similarly publicly staged act of savagery carried out
by the UDA nearby five years ago. Less than a mile from
Taughmonagh, the UDA on the Seymour Hill estate captured
and then 'crucified' on a wooden stile a notorious
convicted joyrider from west Belfast.

There is a feeling throughout republican and loyalist
communities that their areas are spinning out of control;
that young criminals who were fearful before the peace
settlement of being beaten or shot by the IRA or UDA or UVF
believe that they can now do whatever they want. This
suspicion was realised last week in Ardoyne, a Sinn Fein
stronghold in north Belfast where the IRA operated its
brutal street 'justice' for decades.

Last Wednesday night, youths from Ardoyne carried out a
mass, unprovoked sortie into the nearby Protestant Twaddel
Avenue. During the attack they hurled petrol bombs at a
house where an 18-day-old baby was sleeping. The family
have since fled the street. Sinn Fein condemned the
violence, but appeared powerless to stop it.

In recent years the IRA used its muscle to quell clashes on
this sectarian interface. But now, officially disbanded and
decommissioned, it is unable to act physically to prevent
such incidents.

There have been further examples across Belfast this summer
of paramilitary 'law and order' losing its grip. On the
night of 8 August, youths in the Markets area now loyal to
the Continuity IRA defied Sinn Fein and built a bonfire to
commemorate the 36th anniversary of internment. Emboldened
by drink, mobs went on the rampage and burnt posters of
Sinn Fein election candidates on the pyre alongside the
Union Jack they set alight each year.

It was a message of defiance and an acknowledgment that the
'hoods' know that the IRA's hands are politically tied when
it comes to 'policing' their own communities.

The attack at Finwood Park last Sunday - deliberately
filmed not only for the Taughmonagh estate but also the
world - took place in front of a church, a community centre
and a row of shops. The aim was as much to reassert control
of the estate as to put an alleged dealer out of business.

On Friday evening a number of children were playing in
thepark across from where the horrific scene was acted out.
One child came up to The Observer and boasted that he had
witnessed the attack. 'It was class. We just stood around
laughing at it, it's his own fault,' he said, sniggering.

*************************

http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/news/article2919703.ece

Reconciliation: Little Can Go A Long Way

[Published: Sunday 2, September 2007 - 09:32]
By Alan McBride

Hands up all those who were shocked at Deloitte's recent
report indicating that sectarianism costs the Northern
Ireland economy big time.

Ok, so maybe the figure of £1.5bn per year does seem a bit
alarmist, but can anybody with an ounce of wit seriously
doubt that maintaining the 'two tribes' tradition in this
country costs a lot of money?

Frequently in this column I have focused attention on the
need to combat sectarianism and press ahead with the
'Shared Future' agenda. It is my firm opinion that this
remains one of the greatest challenges facing our society.

I also believe, given significant developments on the
political front, that we are now better placed than at any
time in our history to do something about it.

While I acknowledge that it is very early days in the life
of the Assembly and that I could be made to eat my own
words in this regard, I have to say that I have been
greatly encouraged by the DUP/Sinn Fein coalition to date.

However, the business of building a shared future is not
just the responsibility of politicians but equally applies
to every citizen.

Those in power undoubtedly have a duty to create the
infrastructure that supports a shared future, but it is up
to the rest of us to make it work. This is pretty much the
philosophy behind the 'One Small Step' initiative that I
have also been banging on about in previous weeks.

This time out I want to highlight a small step being taken
by one man from Portavogie.

Steve Petri is originally from Scotland, where he lived for
a while in the city of Glasgow, a place not unaccustomed to
sectarianism. However, it wasn't until he moved here that
he came face to face with the harsh realities of separation
and segregation.


For Steve this wasn't about the violence from which we are
all emerging. He wasn't beaten up, he didn't lose anyone in
the Troubles, his house has never been attacked and he has
never witnessed a riot.

He was simply out with a friend at a pub in a nearby
village when the conversation from some of the locals took
on an overtly sectarian tone. It was a conversation he had
heard many times before, yet that night something clicked
and he just knew he had to do something about it.

In many respects Steve's experiences of life in Northern
Ireland were no different from lots of people who live
here, people who all too often believe that the sectarian
climate that fuelled the Troubles and continues to permeate
our society has nothing to do with them. Yet, how many of
us have listened to, or even participated in, sectarian
conversations?

What about sectarian jokes? What was our response? You see,
it's easy to hide behind the 'nothing to do with me'
mentality, it's much more difficult to take a small step to
address the issue.

Steve has organised a cross-community football match for
next Saturday featuring teams from mainly Protestant
Portavogie and the mainly Catholic Portaferry.

The match will be followed by a public auction of George
Best memorabilia (the great man himself having for a brief
period lived on the outskirts of Portavogie) and dinner at
the Quays restaurant.

Not only will the event promote good community relations in
the area but will also raise some money for the George Best
Foundation.

I have to say the link with George Best is entirely
appropriate for this occasion. While it would be stretching
things a bit far to romanticise his memory by suggesting he
was a reconciler, it is well known that his footballing
genius was enjoyed by all regardless of religious or
political belief.

Initiatives like this are hardly unique and by themselves
will not lead to a shared future, but they should be
acknowledged as a small step in the right direction.

If significant numbers of us took enough small steps there
is no telling what could be achieved in terms of
transforming Northern Irish society.

I never thought I would hear myself say this, but maybe
it's time to follow the lead set so far by Martin
McGuinness and Ian Paisley.

Of course, what they have done couldn't in any way be
described as a 'small step', but for once I find myself
believing that they have set the benchmark.

If these two adversaries can set aside their differences
(for whatever reason, selfish ambition or the greater good
of the country, who cares?), two questions remain.

How many small steps will it take us to step up to the mark
and when do we begin?

For more information on the events at Portavogie contact
the Quays on 028 42772225.

© Belfast Telegraph

*************************

http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/news/article2919714.ece

Dissidents Furious Over Loyalist Link

[Published: Sunday 2, September 2007 - 09:44]

Disgraced Tyrone GAA star Gerard Cavlan faces being hounded
over his links to a former UVF drug dealer.

Cavlan - who admitted knowing the loyalist during the BBC
sting - worked with the Co Antrim loyalist to arrange
illegal dog fights.

Now furious dissident republicans want to know why the GAA
hero was doing business with the loyalist thug, who was
expelled from the UVF.

Sunday Life knows the name of the loyalist, but cannot
publish it for legal reasons.

Cavlan and the gang formed a team called Bulldog Sanctuary
Kennels (BSK) and travelled to bloodthirsty dog fights
together.

A senior source told us dissident republicans were
"interested" in Cavlan's links to the former loyalist.

Said the source: "This man may have been kicked out of the
UVF, but the dissidents want to know just how close these
pair actually were.

"Cavlan is stupid for getting involved in something like
this and more importantly for running about with a former
loyalist.

"Cavlan is not under any threat from the dissidents because
they just think he was an idiot to get caught up in
something like this because of his standing in the
community."

The GAA star issued an apology after the programme, adding:
"I would like to again unreservedly apologise to my family,
all my friends, supporters and colleagues in the GAA for
any disappointment or distress they have felt arising out
of the events reported."

In a separate development, the family of the mastermind
behind the pitbull dog-fights in Co Armagh have disowned
him.

Stephen Barriskill's family told how they were disgusted by
the thug's involvement in such barbaric acts.

Said a family spokesman: "We are shocked and disgusted that
he has sought to blacken such a respectable family's name
in this manner."

© Belfast Telegraph

*************************

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Petrol-bomb-attack-threaten39s-baby39s.3156237.jp

Petrol Bomb Attack Threaten's Baby's Life

A young father this morning claimed that his two-week old
baby could have been killed during a petrol bomb attack on
his home in north Belfast.

At least two houses in Twaddell Avenue near the Ardoyne
interface were targeted at about 11pm last night by hooded
men.

The man, who asked not to be identified, said he was
sitting with his 18-day-old baby on his lap when his house
came under seige from petrol bombers.

Describing what happened he said he saw a flash at his side
window, looked up and heard a bang.

He said he saw some flames then grabbed his child and ran
upstairs.

If the petrol bomb had come through the window, the man
believed his child would have been "burnt to death."

He said his partner had been traumatised by the attack and
was still in shock.

He added that it was the second attack on his rented house
in three weeks and his family were now planning to leave
the area because they were so concerned about their safety.

This morning local priest Father Aidan Troy condemned the
attack.

As did DUP assembly member Nelson McCausland.

Mr McCausland said:"I had hoped that such sectarian attacks
were a thing of the past but the events of the past few
weeks show that this is not the case."

Police said this morning that they were called to the area
last night just after 11pm and remained there until peace
had been restored.

A spokeswoman said there were no reports of any injuries,
and there were no arrests.

Last Updated: 29 August 2007 12:21 PM

*************************

http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Bloody-Sunday-MP-fined-for.3164579.jp

Bloody Sunday MP Fined For Driving At 91mph

Former Derry MP and civil rights leader, Ivan Cooper, has
been fined for speeding at 91 miles per hour.

The case of the 63 year-old, who is best known for leading
the anti-internment march which ended up in the Bloody
Sunday killings of January 30, 1972, was before Limavady
Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

The court heard that he was detected during a police speed
check at Foreglen Road, Dungiven - which is governed by a
60 mph speed limit - on April 9 this year.

Defence solicitor, John Fahy said the "well known" former
politician currently had penalty points on his driving
licence. He added that his client's licence was "important"
to his business as an insolvency inspector.

Resident Magistrate, Austin Kennedy handed down a fine of
£400 and five penalty points.

At the height of his political career, Ivan Cooper
commanded the largest support of any nationalist Stormont
MP. Actor James Nesbitt played the former MP in the 2002
film 'Bloody Sunday.

Last Updated: 31 August 2007 11:23 AM

*************************

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/topless-of-the-pops-daniel-strips-for-charity-1067858.html

Topless Of The Pops: Daniel Strips For Charity

Wednesday August 29 2007

IT was once asked what’s the difference between Daniel
O’Donnell and Santa Claus? Daniel, it went , pulls the old
dears for a few bucks, while a few bucks and old dears pull
Santa.

So what would the genteel matrons make of "wee Daniel" with
his kit off? Quite a lot actually. The star who has brought
the image of a mammy's boy to new levels of saintliness,
shocked and thrilled an audience by stripping off -- for
charity.

The Donegal crooner fufilled thousands of female fantasies
by shedding his threads .

Jim McDaid added to the madness when he turned up donned in
a diving suit and waved his flippers at the cheering crowd.

The two men were participating at the charity event, 'Not
the Rose of Tralee', which is a far cry from the lovely
girls competition in Co Kerry.

Over 700 people attended the event which was held to raise
funds to bring community breast screening to the Donegal
region.

The judges, who included former Miss Ireland Natasha Nic
Ghairbheith, Country star Philomena Begley and Daniel's
singer sister Margo, couldn't figure out what category Jim
McDaid was contesting when he lifted a foot to wave a
flippered greeting at them.

Eventually, with tongues firmly in cheek, they declared him
the Most Debonair.

Philomena Begley reckoned Daniel O'Donnell was over-dressed
when he appeared in shorts and top. She abandoned all
pretence of neutrality and called out to him to "show more
body." She even got up on stage to help him get his top
off.

It was enough to win Daniel the title of the man with the
'Best Come to Bed Eyes.'

Comedy male stripper Bernard McHugh, former star of tv
programme 'Blind Date', bared even more than Daniel and was
acclaimed Sexiest Man in the event, which went on into the
early hours of yesterday morning.

The contest was the opening event in a planned series of
fundraisers with a €500,000 target to build a cancer clinic
in Co Donegal.

The "Not The Rose" made €20,000 for the fund.

A recently-established cross-community voluntary group,
called the North West Wellness Centre Committee (NWWCC),
aims to have the centre in place by Spring 2008 to provide
community breast screening with triple assessment for the
people of the North West.

At present, Breast Check is not available in the region and
when it is, it will screen people only between ages 50 and
64. Donegal women have to travel to Belfast for private
screening.

----
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September 01, 2007

IAUC Boston Convention - Speakers & Hotel Deadline




The IAUC National Convention will be held in Boston, MA Oct. 5,6
& 7, 2007 at the Boston Hyatt Harborside. A registration form is
included below with hotel information.

The convention this year will focus on a Lasting Peace and
Justice.

Here is the line up of speakers for the upcoming Boston
Convention. If you have not registered, please send your
registration in today!

Friday, Oct. 5th begins at 6:00 p.m. with registration
7:00 p.m. is the welcome followed by our first panel at 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Peter Shirlow, Queen's University Belfast
Mr. Raymond Stewart, Belfast City Council
----

Saturday Line Up:

Former Irish Political Prisoner Panel - Their Hopes for the
Future Panelists - Paul Harkin, Terry Kirby, Bobby Lavery, Matt
Morrison

Political panel - Two Opposing Views; Where Do We Go From Here
Roy Garland- Member UUP and Gerry McHugh, Sinn Fein

Mairtin O'Muilleoir - Belfast Media Group

Collusion - Raymond McCord - Collusion from a Unionist
Perspective

Policing - Nuala O'Loan, Police Ombudsman - Final Report Before
Leaving Office

Father Aidan Troy, Holy Cross, Ardoyne, North Belfast,
Understanding and Ending the Escalating Cycle of Teen Suicides
----

Sunday, Oct. 7

Mass, Fr. Aidan Troy - 10-11 a.m.
11:00 a.m. General Membership Meeting

If you would like any additional information, please contact Gretchen Bales,
Boston Convention Committee Secretary, iauc.convention@sbcglobal.net
or 765-286-4672 or 1-800-947-4282.

If you have not reserved your hotel rooms for the Boston convention,
please do so now!

Hotel reservations should be made individually by calling
1-800-233-1234 or 617-568-1234 Room rates are $149 per night plus
12.45% tax.

Final date for room reservations for the IAUC block is Sept. 5,
2007.

Once the reserved block of rooms is filled, the hotel will not be
able to guarantee this room rate.

The conference registration is $165 per person for the entire
weekend. Saturday only is $125 and $40 for Friday night only.
Registration forms are below.
----

Irish American Unity Conference Conference Registration Form

The IAUC Annual Convention
October 5 & 6, 2007
Boston, MA

Hyatt Harborside Hotel
Hotel reservations should be made individually by calling
1-800-233-1234 or 617-568-1234

Room rates are $149 per night plus 12.45% tax. Final date for
room reservations for the IAUC block is Sept. 5, 2007.

The conference registration is $165 per person for the entire
weekend. Saturday only is $125 and $40 for Friday night only.

Please return this form with the requested information to:
Gretchen Bales, National Treasurer, P.O. Box 78, Selma, IN 47383

Name: _______________________________________________________
Addrs: _______________________________________________________
City, State, Zip:________________________________________________

Weekend _____$165
Saturday only _____ $125
Friday only ______$40
Donation to IAUC ___________

Method of payment:
_____Check or money order or ______Credit Card:

Name on card: ___________________________________________________
Type of Card: _____VISA ____MasterCard
Card Number: ____________________________________________________
Expiration date: ________________________________________________

The Boston Convention Committee hopes to see you in Boston!

Gretchen Bales, Boston Convention Committee Secretary
----

Irish American Unity Conference National Office
611 Pennsylvania Ave, SE #4150
Washington, D.C. 20003800-947-4282

"Working for Justice and Peace in a Re-united Ireland”
The IRISH AMERICAN UNITY CONFERENCE is a nationwide,
nonpartisan, nonsectarian, chapter-based human rights
organization working for justice and peace in Ireland. We
are a wholly American 501(c)(4) organization that advocates
the end of British colonial occupation and the peaceful
reunification of Ireland . We endeavor to achieve these
goals by working through the American democratic process.
Individually, our members represent every occupational and
educational stratum in the United States .

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