More Political Policing, Intimidation, Assaults and Arrests !!!!

I was shocked to hear the news that last night that a comrade of mine had his home attacked in North Belfast. 2 suspected blast bombs were thrown at his house by cowards. The RUC/PSNI have also told him that shots were possibly fired.

The person in question is a tireless Republican activist and community worker. If people think that attacks like this will stop Republicans from helping their communities then they are very badly mistaken.

Another North Belfast Republican, Mairtin Óg Meehan was on his way over to his comrades house to see if he was ok following the bomb/gun attack. He was stopped by enemy forces using section 44 and 21. When he asked why he was being stopped under anti-terrorist legislation and what exactly it entailed he was sprayed in the face with CS gas, handcuffed and dragged from the car. He was told he was being taken to Antrim Road barracks for obstruction.

Mairtin asked for a doctor because of his heart condition and was told he could "fucking wait to see one in the barracks."

The following statement was released by the Republican Network for Unity

Call for the release of North Belfast Chairperson Mairtin Og Meehan

“On Sunday evening at 21:45pm, North Belfast Chairperson of the RNU, Mairtin Og Meehan was travelling to the home of a member of CFAD (Concerned Families Against Drugs) which had recently been attacked, in order to ensure that the family were safe. He was stopped by members of the RUC/PSNI who tried to detain him under Section 44. When he enquired as to why he was being held under ‘anti-terrorist’ legislation, the RUC/PSNI responded by spraying him in the face with CS Gas, and forcibly removing him from the car in which he was travelling. He was then subsequently arrested and taken to Antrim ‘serious crime’ suite.This is yet the latest in a growing number of members of the RNU who have been subjected to overt acts of political policing, harassment, detention and arrest in recent months. The Republican Network for Unity calls for the immediate release of Mairtin Og Meehan.”

Thankfully Mairtin Óg was released this morning but had to receive treatment in hospital. It's very clear that harassment is on the increase, as well as Political Policing. Recently we have seen political policing, intimidation, harassment and assaults all over the Occupied 6 counties.

Another North Belfast community activist was also arrested by the RUC/PSNI last night and is currently still being held.

Republicans wont be intimidated by any thugs whether they wear an RUC/PSNI uniform or not.

These attacks need to be condemned by everyone, selective condemnation is not good enough.

Our comrades in Belfast have the full support of Republicans in Newry.

END POLITICAL POLICING !!!

Normalisation Shattered !!!

At the weekend the British Army "Special Forces" in conjunction with the RUC/PSNI took part in a sinister operation in Fermanagh. The Brits and RUC set up an ambush, the target being Irish Republicans.

Apparently a car containing Republicans was rammed by the British forces who were backed up by the British police (RUC/PSNI). A number of shots were fired at the Republicans and they returned fire at the British. The media gave a different report to that of the residents of the village. Residents reported that there was a fierce gun battle with up to 80 shots being fired. The British controlled media appear to have played this down as they have done so many times over the years.

The British claim that 5 arrests were made shortly after the gun battle. However it's strange that those people where not arrested at the scene nor were there any weapons recovered. Maybe enemy forces just rounded up a few people to make it look like they are on top of things?, a technique they have been using quite a lot recently.

At the time of writing it has just been announced that 3 of those arrested have been released without charge, seems my above theory was correct.

This ambush has obviously had clearance from the highest levels of the British establishment including Mi5, RUC/PSNI and the British army.

On the same night over 100 miles in Belfast there was another incident. This time the target was an apparatus of the British establishment, the HQ of the British Policing board, this board receives regular briefings from Mi5 and works alongside the RUC/PSNI.

The Republicans smashed through a security fence and parked a massive 400Ib car bomb outside the enemy building. Only the detonator went off and no damage was done to the building.

I was particularly saddened to see and hear former comrades standing in Stormont pledging their support for the crown forces and told people to turn informer by passing information on Republicans to the occupying forces. They have now made it clear who they are siding with and they obviously view Irish Republicans as their enemy.

This was a joint British Army/RUC operation and that proves that the enemy cannot be held accountable for their actions. PSF should withdraw their support for enemy forces immediately, it has been proven time and time again that they are failing miserably to hold them to account.

It's inevitable that Republicans will continue to physically oppose the Crown Forces, whether its the RUC or British army. It's a well known fact that as long as the British continue to occupy Ireland they will be met with force. Many people are not supportive of that but that does not mean that it's wrong. Every Irishman and Irishwoman have the god given right to take up arms against occupying forces.

Personally i don't believe actions like those we seen over the weekend will achieve much, those tactics have been tried and tested for decades on a much more severe level and it was a failed tactic. If it didn't free us then, it wont now.

I certainly wont condemn the volunteers responsible for recent attacks. I admire their courage, determination and the fact that they are willing to risk their lives for Irish freedom the same as so many brave men and women have done before them.

One thing that it will achieve though is that it has helped shatter "normalisation". Many people have been gullible enough to fall victim to normalisation. Many seem to forget that there are more British soldiers in Ireland than there are in Iraq. And now we have British soldiers setting up ambushes and trying to kill Republicans.

British soldiers along with the RUC in confrontation with Republican volunteers in the Fermanagh countryside, enemy HQ being targeted in Belfast, 110 people being stopped and searched everyday all over the occupied 6 counties, British army "special forces" being used in covert operations, Republicans being constantly harassed, assaulted, imprisoned, threatened, and intimidated.

Does this sound like a "normal" society?

What is a "Micro-Group"?

We often hear the term "Micro-Group" being used by the media, Constitutional Nationalists and other Anti - Republican elements to describe Irish Republican groups.

Obviously the term is used to try and belittle Irish Republicans.

What exactly constitutes a "Micro-Group"?
What defines a "Micro-Group"?

Here are 3 of the main reasons our opponents would use,

• Anti-Republicans say that "Micro - Groups" have no mandate.
• They say that "Micro - Groups" do not have the support of the majority of the Irish people.
• They say that "Micro - Groups" have few members.

In regards to the argument that they have no mandate, didn't Gerry Adams himself state that,

"The IRA needs no political mandate, it derives it's mandate from the presence of the British in the 6 counties".

The British presence is still here so in my opinion the same goes for anti-treaty Republicans, they also derive their mandate from the presence of the British.

Now in regards to the argument about not having the support of the majority of the Irish people, Republican groups have NEVER had the support of the majority of the Irish people. The majority of Irish people did not support the Easter rising of 1916, does that mean they were wrong? does that mean they should not have had the rising? In fact when the British were marching the rebels through Dublin, the people threw rotting vegetables at them and spat upon them.

The border campaign from 1956-1962 did not have the support of the majority of the Irish people either, in fact that is one of the reasons why the campaign was called off. Where they wrong to have the campaign ?

The PIRA campaign from 1969 until their surrender in recent years did not have the support of the majority of the Irish people. Were those volunteers wrong too?

The 3rd example is when they say that "micro-groups" have few members, This is a simple one to answer because i just have to quote James Connolly's last statement,

"Believing that the British Government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland. The presence in any one generation of even a respectable minority of Irishmen ready to die to affirm that truth makes that Government for ever an usurpation, and a crime against human progress"

It's quite obvious that those who try to degrade and slander anti-treaty Republicans are fearful of their potential.

éirigi Expose Lies by Crown Forces

On Sunday 15th November éirigi took part in a sponsored walk on Divis mountain.

The walk was organised by éirígí activists to raise funds for the party and included a short demonstration at a British military communications post on the mountain, which is on the outskirts of west Belfast

When they were making their descent from the mountain they were met by roughly 30 riot clad paramilitaries of the RUC/PSNI, 2 helicopters, up to 8 Armoured landrovers and several unmarked cars. Bear in mind that this was not an armed rebellion, it was a sponored walk involving women and children.

They stopped and searched everyone present and even searched a child's pram, they also searched passers by who had nothing to do with the sponsored walk!

When éirigi approached the media about the harassment, they in turn contacted the British crown forces. Not surprisingly the RUC/PSNI denied that they had been in the area and they did not stop or searched anyone on Divis Mountain.

When éirigi activists contacted the Andersonstown News and provided dozens of stop and search documents as well as photographic and video evidence the Crown forces were forced to admit that they were lying and that they were in the area.

éirigi have released the following video which exposes the harassment and lies from the RUC/PSNI

This is not normal policing, this is not civic policing. This is the same policing that we have been subjected to for decades. Nothing has changed with this paramilitary force except their uniform and badge.

Some people tell us that it's better now that there are more Catholics in the RUC/PSNI. Lets make one thing clear, it doesn't matter if the cop harassing you is a catholic, protestant, Hindu or Muslim. Religion does not even come into it. They are part of the British establishment and will do anything to protect that.

They are a Colonial British Militia whose main role is to protect the British union and enforce British laws in Ireland. They are a part of the British occupation forces.

They harass, intimidate, threaten, bribe, frame, assault and imprison Irish Republicans and as proved by éirigi they are lying scumbags.

The RUC/PSNI are as much part of the occupation as the British army or Mi5. If you support one you support them all.

THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO NO-ONE

THEY SHOULD BE RESISTED, EXPOSED AND OPPOSED AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY!!!

Political Policing Continues!!!

In the past few weeks there has been an upsurge in the level of Political policing being used against Irish Republicans and in some cases Constitutional Nationalists.


Last week enemy forces carried out arrests and raids in South Armagh in connection to alleged electoral fraud, they also raided properties linked to former Republican Sean Hughes and froze several bank accounts.


These disgraceful actions need to be condemned by everyone.


More recently senior Republican, and former POW, Tony "TC" Catney was arrested at an airport by the Crown Forces after arriving home from Scotland, and today veteran Republican, former POW and hunger striker Marian Price was arrested in West Belfast and a Republican was also arrested in Tyrone.


Since the execution of two enemy soldiers back in March, 14 people have been arrested. Two people have been charged, Brian Shivers, who almost died whilst in custody, and Lurgan Republican Colin Duffy who is no stranger to crown force harassment and collusion.



On Sunday a sponsored walk on Black Mountain in West Belfast ,organised by éirigi to raise funds, was disrupted by enemy forces. When the group ,which included women and children, descended from the hike they were met by up to 8 Armoured landrovers, 2 helicopters, several unmarked cars and 30 riot clad RUC paramilitaries. they searched everyone present under "anti-terrorist" legislation including a child in a pram.


We certainly know who's putting manners on who.


It was also recently revealed that on average 110 people are stopped every day by enemy forces using draconian stop and search procedures.


Is this the new face of policing we were promised?


Judging by these draconian tactics being used against the Republican community it's quite clear that enemy forces view anti-treaty Republicans as a threat to the status quo. Anti-Treaty Republicans are constantly growing in numbers and gaining more support.


No doubt former Republicans will tell people to go to the toothless DPP, and they will hold them to account and put manners on them blah blah blah. They need to wake up and realise that they can't hold them to account. The other Englishman who was chief constable was able to send in British Army "special Forces" without even consulting the very group that is supposed to hold them to account, the DPP.


Will senior members of PSF be demanding Marion's immediate release and describe her as a "sound Republican"?


Will PSF be running to the TV cameras to speak out about the recent injustices being inflicted on Irish Republicans or will they wait until it happens to them?

You would think that after 800 years enemy forces would realise that the more they oppress the more we'll resist!

RUC/PSNI Repression on the Rise

The PSNI’s increasing reliance on the tactics of repression was highlighted yesterday [Sunday] when the force put in place a massive operation to deal with a sponsored walk on Belfast’s Black Mountain.

The walk was organised by éirígí activists to raise funds for the party and included a short demonstration and speech at a British military communications post on the mountain, which is on the outskirts of west Belfast.

However, as the 30 or so éirígí members and supporters were finishing their hike they were met by no less than seven armoured PSNI jeeps, two helicopters, 30 PSNI riot personnel and a number of unmarked cars.

The thugs in uniform proceeded to search, question and film those who were on the walk, as well as many bystanders who were out enjoying the winter sunshine on what is National Trust land.

Along with the adults searched at the scene, the PSNI also felt the need to search a child’s pram. At no stage did the officers involved explain what exactly it was they were looking for.

The scale of the operation caused a stir at the near-by Lámh Dhearg GAA pitch, where spectators had gathered to watch a football game, and resulted in many residents phoning a local newsroom to report the PSNI activity.Amazingly, when contacted by journalists, the PSNI denied they had stopped or searched anyone on the Black Mountain.

The PSNI’s over-kill came only days after it was revealed that there were more than 12,000 stop & search incidents in the Six Counties under the British government’s ‘Terrorism Act’ and ‘Justice & Security Act’ between July and September this year.

éirígí general secretary Breandán Mac Cionnaith said: “The most recent figures on PSNI stop & search operations reveal a dramatic rise. This will be very worrying for the nationalist communities who have traditionally borne the brunt of British state repression.

“The figures on stop & search between July and September are three times the number for the previous quarter – this works out at an average of 110 stop & search operations every day.

“This is the reality of policing in the Six Counties. It is one that is far removed from what was promised by the nationalist parties who took the decision to endorse the PSNI.”

Mac Cionnaith continued: “These figures clearly show that the PSNI is not a civic police service – it is a politically-motivated paramilitary force, funded and armed by the British government for the purpose of protecting the occupation of the Six Counties.

“When it comes to policing nationalist communities, the PSNI’s idea of what is acceptable constitutes harassment on a massive scale, the firing of plastic bullets, raids and the use of CS gas and Tasers.

“However, it will soon become obvious to them that any amount of harassment will not deter éirígí activists from opposing the British occupation.”

http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest161109.html

Colin Duffy - When Will it End?

For two decades Colin Duffy has been the target of an unrelenting campaign of persecution and victimisation by state forces within the Six Counties. That campaign has encompassed the full spectrum of harassment experienced by nationalists in the Six Counties, from petty stop-and-search harassment to arbitrary arrest and detention, from verbal and physical abuse to collusion and the use of murder.

Republicans in Newry have been to the fore in highlighting Colins case. Since the night Colin was arrested Republicans in Newry have erected posters, distributed leaflets, raised funds, attended pickets, painted murals and erected banners. We are also in regular contact with Colin's family who keep us up to date with his case and we keep them up to date with any future activities we are planning.

When Colin's family and friends came to Newry in May 3 car loads of RUC/PSNI Paramilitaries were there to harrass and intimidate us.

Colin's family issued the following statement about the incident in Newry:

The campaign members were met by a large number of Newry supporters who helped hand out leaflets. The support was overwhelming from the public and even the heavy rain and the RUC harrasment they received failed to dampen their spirits.

The victimisation of Colin's family and friends by the RUC had the opposite effect to that which was intended. From the outset the family had stated that they would not be silenced. This was the case in Newry as friends and supporters of the family rallied around and confronted the RUC in their attempt to disrupt the vigil.

Colin has now been held in captavity since March, below i have outlined a brief history of the British state's campaign of persecution against him which he and his family have endured for almost 20 years.

1990 - A Witness To A State Murder

19 years ago in March 1990, Colin Duffy was making his way home along with Sam Marshall and a third man, Tony McCaughey, when they were confronted by masked gunmen who opened up with automatic fire. The attack took place just moments after the three men had signed bail at Lurgan RUC barracks.

Two masked gunmen stepped out of the Rover and opened fire. Sam Marshall was wounded and unable to run. The gunman put the rifle to Sam's head and fired twice. Miraculously, Tony and Colin escaped unharmed.

A few days later, a sophisticated crown force surveillance camera trained on Colin's house was discovered. The equipment bore Nato and British MoD markings. The Rover had been found burnt out, shortly after the killing near the M1 motorway. Questions were publicly asked about the Maestro but there were no answers immediately forthcoming.

In 1994 during an extradition hearing in America, RUC inspector Alan Clegg, admitted that the red Maestro belonged to the "intelligence services", and on the night Sam Marshall died it was part of an undercover operation involving three unmarked vehicles one of which belonged to the RUC. Clegg refused to divulge any further information to the US court on the grounds of "British national security".

As the Historical Enquiries Team re investigates Sam's murder and the Marshall family pursue their demand for the holding of an open and full inquest, a very pertinent question arises - is it possible that the very forces accused of direct involvement in that murder have conspired again in 2009 to conveniently imprison one of the surviving two key witnesses to Sam's murder, in order to discredit him and any testimony he may give?

1993 - A Conspiracy Between Murder Gangs,
Six County Police And A Paid Perjurer

Three years after surviving the multiple murder bid which claimed Sam Marshall's life, Colin was the centre of another conspiracy by state forces 'to take him out'. This time, the conspiracy involved framing Colin on a murder conviction rather than kill him. A convicted unionist gun runner, Lindsay Robb, revealed that the Six County police force had colluded with the UVF to fabricate evidence against Colin The plot was different but the question remains - were many of the key protagonists the same?

According to Lindsay Robb, the RUC approached senior UVF figures after the IRA killing of a former UDR soldier John Lyness in 1993. The unionist murder gang was asked to supply a 'clean' witness who could claim that Colin was seen in the vicinity at the time of the shooting. The police officers involved implied if the unionist murder gang could do this for them, they would 'go easy' on investigations into UVF activity in the Mid Ulster area - even though the same organisation was actively engaged in a ruthless campaign of murder directed against Catholics at the time.

Lindsay Robb claims he was approached by a senior member of the Mid Ulster UVF and asked to give evidence, for which he was paid, against Colin. Robb subsequently appeared, screened from public view, as a key prosecution witness at Colin's trial.

Colin was convicted in 1996, but in a dramatic turn of events, the conviction was quashed when the UVF's 'clean' witness was caught gun running in Scotland. Lindsay Robb was convicted and Colin was released when details of the extraordinary conspiracy between the RUC and the UVF emerged.

Following his release, Colin publicly said to the media, "if the RUC were prepared to collude with loyalists to take me out of circulation in 1993, then it is reasonable to assume that members of the British crown forces were involved in the UVF's attempt to take me out in 1990. This was not the first or last time the RUC, or some other section of the British crown forces, were in contact with loyalist paramilitaries.

Colin spent a total of three years unjustly imprisoned as a result of this British conspiracy. It was only as a result of a long and hard fought campaign by his friends and family that Colin was finally released in 1996.

His family are determined that this time around he shouldn't have to spend any additional years of imprisonment as a result of yet another British state conspiracy against him.

Colin's brother Paul said, "Colin's history is a history of injustice, conspiracy, collusion and breaches of human rights. These practices were not acceptable in the 1990's, they should not be acceptable today".

Paul went on to call for all those who campaigned for Colin's release in the 1990's to support the family's present campaign.

1997- Another Failed Frame Up

In July 1997 Colin was arrested and again charged, this time with killing two RUC officers. In a blatant example of arbitrary arrest and detention, the RUC deliberately ignored evidence which established Colin's innocence. There were a dozen witnesses who could place him in the Kilwilke estate, more than a mile away, at the time of the shooting.

A concerted campaign was mounted demanding his release, and a number of British MPs, Irish TDs as well as numerous human rights organisations in Ireland, Britain, the US and Europe supported the campaign.

Many correctly raised questions regarding the entire process of victimisation which Colin had been subject to by the state, calling it a clear abuse of process and urging his immediate release.

Colin was held for several months before the charges were dropped.

That injustice only ended when Colin was freed for the second time in thirteen months after a crown lawyer was forced to concede that the only evidence against him was the alleged evidence of a psychologically unstable woman, Witness D, who was pressurised by the RUC into falsely identifying him.

Another woman, who was an alibi witness for the defense, was also pressurised by two detectives while she was on holiday in Scotland, who tried to intimidate her into changing her statement.

Despite twelve witnesses contradicting Witness D, and a member of her own family describing her as unreliable, the RUC had persisted in their case against Colin.

Colin's lawyer, Rosemary Nelson, who was later murdered in an act of state collusion in 1999 said: "This matter has caused the greatest concern in legal circles, amongst international civil rights bodies and public representatives."

Gareth Pierce, an English lawyer who campaigned for wrongly accused Irish prisoners in British jails said: "Every ingredient which has led to wrongful convictions in the past seems to be present in his case."

2009 - When Will It End?

There are very few people in Ireland who would not be aware of the circumstances leading up to and surrounding Colin's arrest on March 14th and his subsequent detention for 13 days before he was charged. Many people will agree with the family's view that Colin has again been the victim of a convenient frame-up by the state.

For the family, this is already a case of history repeating itself again. We are left with no choice but to once more campaign for justice on Colin's behalf.

Many of our neighbours and friends in Lurgan and other surrounding areas have already been in touch to offer their assistance in our efforts to secure his release. Indeed, on the evening following his rearrest after a court had ordered his release, we were heartened by the many people (estimated by the BBC to number almost 250) who filled the North Lurgan community centre for a public meeting which had been called with less than twenty-four hours notice.

We could be despondent and despairing for the future. We could simply resign ourselves to asking - will this victimisation and persecution ever end? We know that is what those who have mounted this prolonged campaign against Colin would like us to do. But we will not accept this injustice and we most certainly will not remain silent.

Indeed, we shall challenge the wall of silence that challenges this and other injustices.

With the help of our many friends and good neighbours with the support of all those who believe in justice, we will continue with our efforts until Colin is back where be belongs - at home in Lurgan with his wife Martine, his children, and wider family.