TUES. AUGUST 1, 2000: An oil tank behind a bungalow in Sion Mills, Co Tyrone was set alight. A neighbour raised the alarm and the occupants fled just before the tank exploded. The family reported that their car tyres had been slashed.
FRI. AUGUST 4, 2000: British paratrooper Lee Clegg who was cleared of charges relating to killing two teenagers -- Karen Reilly and Martin Peake -- in 1990 was awarded £25,000 from the British army for pay and pension while jailed for the murder of Karen Reilly. Sarsfields GAA club, near Garvagh, Co Derry was targeted in an arson attack, suffering minor fire and smoke damage.
Donaghmore Orange hall, near Dungannon, Co Tyrone was gutted in an arson attack.
SUN. AUGUST 6, 2000: A quantity of detonators, ammunition, a sub-machine gun and a sawn-off shotgun were found by the RUC in a Vauxhall Cavalier car which was stopped on the Belfast city bound lane of the M1 at the Sprucefield junction. A man was arrested and taken to Gough RUC barracks in Armagh.
Trevor O'Brien (35), a nationalist father-of-six was attacked by 12 loyalists wielding a meat cleaver in Ballynahinch, Co Down as he was walking to a chip shop from his home in the Hillcrest Drive area.
TUES. AUGUST 8, 2000: Sinn Féin Poblachtach launched its updated ÉIRE NUA policy at its office in Belfast.
George McCartney (40), from Campsie Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone was charged before Lisburn magistrates court with possessing explosives, guns and ammunition following the discovery of weapons in a car outside Belfast on August 6.
WED. AUGUST 9, 2000: Residents of Denmark Street, Linfield Gardens and West Circular Road in the Shankill area of Belfast escaped injury after their homes were attacked by the occupants of two Vauxhall Cavalier cars.
A foot patrol of four heavily armed British soldiers crossed the border between South Armagh and North Louth, continuing for over a quarter of a mile, despite protestations from local people about their illegal activity. In a deliberate and well-planned exercise, the foot patrol was directed away from a larger military group, which included a member of the RUC. This main group had been dropped off in the area by helicopter around 6pm close to the border in the north. Within half an hour of this sighting, a group of small children playing in an area known as "The Forest" close to the Eddentubber/Fairyhill Road were confronted by four British soldiers. One soldier pointed his rifle into the face of one of the children, who fled the scene screaming. One of their parents, Stephen McNamee, on hearing their screams, ran from the family home. By this stage, the soldiers had moved even further South, searching garages and out-houses on their way. McNamee phoned the 26-County police to report the incursion. Another neighbour, Eddie Brown, flagged down a passing police patrol to direct them to the British presence. The 26-County police appeared indifferent and reluctant to intervene, but on seeing them, the Brits quickly fled back northwards.
THURS. AUGUST 10, 2000: A number of nationalist homes at McClure Street, which faces onto Vernon Street in Donegall Pass in Belfast had windows smashed after they came under attack from youths firing ball bearings and bolts from catapults.
Twelve houses in Carrick Hill and Ardoyne in Belfast were also targeted.
Loyalists fired shots at the RUC in the Shankill area of west Belfast as they investigated reports of a show of strength by the UFF. It was reported that UDA/UFF had been patrolling the area.
The local UFF battalion had called journalists to the area to witness an armed roadblock they had set up and where there were reports of shots being fired in the air. A gunman fired a shot on Boundary Way as he and three accomplices were chased by the RUC patrol. A breeze block was also thrown through the back windscreen of the armoured car.
The RUC said that three car-loads of men attacked a row of houses at the junction of Crumlin Road and Butler Walk. Six homes had their windows smashed and were daubed with paint.
A van containing 500 lbs of home-made explosives crashed through a police checkpoint in the centre of Derry city. The RUC followed it in a high speed chase to the Border with Donegal, where it was abandoned. While chasing the white Astra van the RUC contacted the 26-County police who found it abandoned in Donegal.
FRI. AUGUST 11, 2000: A pipe bomb was found at the side of a road near Magherafelt, County Derry. It was discovered on the Rosgarron Road on Friday morning and was made safe by British army bomb disposal experts. An RUC spokesman said it was similar to devices used by loyalist death squads and said it was the second of its type to be found in the south Derry area in the last couple of weeks.
A cache of explosives was discovered in the Belvedere House hostel in Grenville Place, South Kensington in west London.
SAT. AUGUST 12, 2000: A number of skirmishes took place in Derry during the Apprentice Boys parade through the city, which had been agreed to by the Bogside Residents Association. Local Apprentice Boys marched from the Memorial Hall, around Derry's Walls, past the Memorial Hall again, to the Diamond to lay wreaths at the cenotaph, and over to the Waterside to meet up with marchers from outside of Derry. The much larger march, consisting of dozens of lodges, colour parties and flute bands from all over the North, made its way back over Craigavon Bridge, up through the Fountain estate, around the Cenotaph at the Diamond and back down Carlisle Road and over the bridge again. British Crown Forces were much in evidence, with dozens of RUC vehicles at the Diamond and at the gates, and down the side streets. A significant number of the flute bands ignored the agreement not to play at the Diamond and began playing the Sash while still at it. At this stage a number of the marchers were visibly drunk. There were skirmishes between these and a small number of mainly young nationalist onlookers and sectarian taunts were exchanged.
Agnes Clarke, an 85-year-old Ardoyne, north Belfast pensioner, suffered cuts to her legs and stomach when a rock was thrown through her bedroom window by loyalists.
A gang of loyalist youths, some as young as 12, smashed windows and damaged cars in Windmill Street in Ballynahinch, Co Down.
The railway line between Coleraine and Derry was closed after bomb warnings were telephoned to the RUC.
SUN. AUGUST 13, 2000: A gang of up to 50 loyalists attacked homes in the Limestone Road area of Belfast. The latest attacks damaged about 20 houses and residents in the nationalist Clanchattan and Parkend streets say the crowd arrived in mini-buses and began attacking homes and cars with paint-bombs, baseball bats and bricks. Some of the gang wore balaclavas, others were unmasked and residents say several of them were carrying guns. The attacks lasted about 15 minutes before the gang fled in the direction of the loyalist Tigers Bay. Clanchattan Street was left littered with broken glass and paint from paint bombs following the incidents.
Three nationalist homes at Glandore Gardens were also targeted and a car was burned in Glanleam Drive.
A local Provo councillor urged young nationalists "not to fall into the trap of retaliation". Homes and cars at other streets in the area were also attacked.
MON. AUGUST 14, 2000: Three arson attacks took place on nationalist houses in the County Antrim town of Ballymena. Paper and flammable liquid were put through the letterboxes and set alight. No-one was injured in the attacks, but extensive smoke damage was caused. One man living on the Heatherfields estate had to jump from an upstairs window. The first attack in Ballymena took place on a house on Knockeen Road, and was followed minutes later by a similar attack on a house in Knockeen Crescent. A man and woman in a house at a new Ballymena development, The Rosses, managed to escape through a side window when flammable liquid was set alight after being poured through their front door letterbox.
The home of nationalists Kathleen McTasney (whose brother was shot dead by the UVF in 1991) and Ronnie Mullan at Mill Road, Greencastle, outside Belfast was targeted in an arson attack.
In the attack on their Heatherfields home, William and Una Martin were woken by the sound of their smoke alarm. The Martins, who have lived on the estate for 16 years, said they were targeted because of their mixed religion marriage. Una Martin managed to escape down the stairs, but the smoke had already spread throughout the house. Her husband had to break an upstairs window and jump.
A nationalist man in his 50s was assaulted in the living room of his home in the Hillhall Road, Lisburn, Co Antrim.
TUES. AUGUST 15, 2000: UFF leader Johnny Adair alleged that he had been targeted in a pipe bomb murder attempt at Beechpark Avenue, a loyalist area off the Oldpark Road in north Belfast.
Shots were fired at the homes of two nationalist families in Clifton Park Avenue.
A nationalist crowd rioted for more than an hour after a petrol bomb was thrown at a nationalist home in the County Antrim town of Ballymena.
The British Housing Executive in the Six Counties said there had been more than 50 attacks on homes in Belfast over the last six days.
WED. AUGUST 16, 2000: The homes of five nationalists in Larne, County Antrim were attacked by loyalists. At least two of the householders said they no longer felt safe and intended to move out. One couple in a mixed relationship, a Catholic man and Protestant woman, left their home in the loyalist Craighill estate after a paving slab was hurled at their window.
Five houses in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, were also damaged in overnight attacks. It was widely believed that the Ulster Defence Association was responsible for the attacks.
In the attack on the Garron Walk house on the Craigyhill estate, a crossbow was fired at the bedroom window.
A nationalist man living in Fanad Walk woke to the sound of four of his windows being smashed. He said he can no long stay there.
On Kintyre Road a hammer was thrown into the living room of a house, followed by paint. The nationalist family who have lived in the house for ten years said they intend to move out because it was too dangerous for them to stay.
In Carrickfergus, a man left his home in the Northlands area after he was hit by a rock which smashed through his living room window on August 15. A bottle of paint was also thrown through the window causing paint damage to the room.
In another attack in Carrickfergus, bricks and paint were thrown at a house on Copeland Road. The front porch and door were damaged and considerable paint damage was caused to the front of the house. At the same time, a window was broken and paint was thrown at a house at Glynn Walk.
St Mary's Primary School between Ballymena and Cushendall, was targeted by loyalists. There was scorch damage to a wall and a window at the school.
A pipe bomb was defused by the British army after being found at the junction of the Glenshane and Aghagaskin roads in Co Derry.
THURS. AUGUST 17, 2000: The home of SDLP councillor Margaret Walsh from the Barrack Street area of the Falls Road West Belfast was targeted in a paint-bomb attack. Loyalists paint-bombers attacked three homes in the nationalist area.
FRI. AUGUST 18, 2000: The house of the deputy mayor of Ballymena, SDLP member PJ McAvoy at Tardree Grove in Ballymena, Co Antrim, was attacked by six paint-bombs
A number of paint bombs were thrown at a house belonging to a nationalist at Beechland Way, Lisburn, Co Antrim.
St Mary's Catholic church in Martinstown, outside Ballymena, Co Antrim suffered scorch damage when a petrol bomb was thrown at it.
The Catholic priest's house at St Brigid's Presbytery on Derryvolgie Avenue, south Belfast suffered scorch damage in an arson attack.
It was reported that two young girls from the New Lodge area of Belfast – Orla Lavery (11) and Charlene Kelly (12) were threatened by older boys from the loyalist Tigers Bar area as they were walking along Duncairn Gardens.
A pipe bomb was left on the window-sill of a house at Towton Terrace in Cullbackey, Co Antrim. The device was made safe by British Crown Forces.
The RUC issued warnings that up to 80 nationalists in the Six Counties could be the target of loyalist death squads after British military documents were discovered during a British Crown Forces raid on farm buildings in Co Down. The RUC visited a number of nationalists to warn them that their details had fallen into the hands of loyalist death squads.
SAT. AUGUST 19, 2000: Four UFF men and a woman took the stage carrying weapons at a UDA/UFF ‘day of celebration' on the Shankill Road area of Belfast.
Later a gun attack took place on the Rex Bar after a confrontation between the UVF and the UFF/LVF. The bar was mobbed by a crowd of up to 300 loyalists and shots were fired after attempts to gain access failed. Four people were injured.
The clash happened as thousands of loyalists, some wearing masks and paramilitary uniforms, paraded along the Shankill Road.
Convicted Ulster Freedom Fighters commander Johnny Adair led one group of men who were carrying UDA/UFF flags. Hundreds of loyalists travelled over from Scotland to take part in what was described as a community event to mark the completion of new murals depicting Protestant culture. Onlookers described it as the greatest show of strength by the largest loyalist paramilitary grouping for several years.
Later in the night three people were injured in a another gun attack on the Rex Bar. One of the wounded men was operated on for facial injuries at the Royal Victoria Hospital. The extent of the other man's injuries was still being assessed while the woman was treated for minor injuries and the effects of shock.
A number of houses in the Shankill area of Belfast were attacked following the pub shooting at the Rex Bar. Locals said between four and 14 houses were ransacked in the Lower Shankill area, with some set alight. A 300-strong crowd broke off from a parade by the Ulster Freedom Fighters. The home of one senior loyalist, an influential figure in the Progressive Unionist Party, was attacked. The shooting was being linked to a feud between the UVF and members of the UFF and LVF, dating back to a murder in Portadown in January. A spokeswoman for the Royal Victoria Hospital said one man was undergoing surgery but that none of the wounded appeared to have life threatening injuries.
MON. AUGUST 21, 2000: Two men – Jackie Coulter, described as being linked to the UDA and a close friend of Johnny Adair and Bobby Mahood, who had links to the UVF – were shot dead as they sat together in a Jeep in the Crumlin Road in north Belfast in a continuation of the loyalist feud.
TUES. AUGUST 22, 2000: Shots were fired at the Shankill Road Prisoners' Aid office which is also used as an office by the UDA/UFF –linked Ulster Democratic Party. Within minutes a gang of men armed with hammers attacked the Shankill Road offices of the Progressive Unionist Party, which was set alight. It was reported that Johnny Adair was amongst the attackers.
The RUC fired two shots at loyalists in the Malvern Street area of the Shankill Road. The RUC later arrested two people and recovered weapons in the Brookmount area of the Shankill Road.
The RUC said they had sought British army support in their bid to bring the Shankill Road under control. More than 100 British soldiers were drafted in and they became the first British soldiers to patrol Belfast since September 1998.
Shots were fired at three houses in Co Antrim and Co Derry belonging to members of the Progressive Unionist Party, the political spokespersons for the UVF, by UDA/UFF death squad members.
British supremo in the Six Occupied Counties Peter Mandelson suspended the licence of loyalist Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair which allowed for early release under the terms of the Stormont Agreement's Prisoner Release Scheme. Adair, who was convicted of directing terrorism, was freed on licence from last September. Adair was taken to Maghaberry jail in County Antrim.
WED. AUGUST 23, 2000: Samuel Rockett (21) was shot dead in the Oldpark area of north Belfast in an escalation of the loyalist feud. His family were said to have links with Progressive Unionist Party representative Billy Hutchinson.
A follow-up British Crown Forces operation was centred on a terraced house which was being examined by forensic experts. The killing was linked to the ongoing loyalist feud.
In Ahogill, Co Antrim the double-glazing business of William McCaughey, chairman of the PUP's Ballymena branch was doused with petrol.
In Belfast the British Housing Executive said that 20 families in the Shankill area had asked to be moved since the start of the week. They said they had been made homeless through intimidation, primarily by the UDA/UFF.
British Crown Forces seized weapons on the Shankill Road in Belfast. The RUC found the cache of weapons which included an Uzi sub-machine gun, a VZ58P assault rifle, three hand guns and a semi-automatic shotgun at Nelson Court and said the guns were loaded and ready for use. They added that a quantity of ammunition along with a balaclava and woollen and latex gloves were also found. Two cars were observed acting suspiciously and six arrests were made subsequently in the Nelson Court area.
The weapons were believed to be of a type used by the Ulster Volunteer Force.
THURS. AUGUST 24, 2000: The RUC found commercial explosives weighing approximately 1.5 kilos in searches at Glenfarne Street during a search which went on for five hours. The explosives were believed to be linked to the UFF/UDA.
FRI. AUGUST 25, 2000: British Crown Forces mounted a search operation in the lower Shankill area of west Belfast, where tensions were still high over the loyalist feud. Police in riot gear backed up by soldiers sealed off Boundary Way. Army bomb disposal vehicles were also at the scene. Convicted loyalist paramilitary Ulster Freedom Fighters leader loyalist Johnny Adair lived in the area until his detention on Tuesday night.
SAT. AUGUST 26, 2000: The annual Hunger Strike commemoration took place in Bundoran, Co Donegal.
Four men were questioned by the RUC in Belfast about three loyalist feud murders. Having been arrested shortly before the funeral of the third victim of the loyalist feud, Samuel Rocket, which took place in the Shankill Road area.
During searches in north Belfast RUC officers seized a series of items and sent them away for forensic examination.
The home of Ally Crawford, UDP chairman in Ballysally, Coleraine, Co Derry was one of several targeted by pipe-bombers.
MON. AUGUST 28, 2000: The home of Sam Rocket, shot dead by the loyalist death squad Ulster Freedom Fighters in the escalating loyalist feud in Belfast was destroyed in an arson attack when a gang of men drove up to the house in the loyalist area of Oldpark in north Belfast, set fire to the house and drove away. No-one was in the house at the time.
TUES. AUGUST 29, 2000: Eleven-year-old Charlene Daly, from the Ballysally housing estate in Coleraine, Co Derry was shot and seriously injured when UVF gunmen sprayed her home with up to ten bullets. It was believed that her home was singled out because her father, Frank, was a former UDA prisoner and her mother was related to Ally Crawford, UDP chairman in Coleraine.
A 16-year-old youth was arrested by the RUC following a petrol-bomb attack on a British army camp in Derry. Three petrol bombs were also thrown at the Masonic car-park at Bishop Street and a number of petrol bombs were thrown into the loyalist Fountain estate in the city.
There were more than 30 attacks on houses by rival UVF and UDA gangs in Carrickfergus and Greenisland, both in Co Antrim.
British soldiers were deployed in the Ballysally housing estate in Coleraine, Co.Derry, after the UVF shooting of 11-year-old Charlene Daly on August 28.
A man received a pellet wound when a shot was fired at him at Seacliff Road, Larne, Co Antrim. In another incident, up to 20 people were involved in the burning of a house at Brittania Crescent, also in Larne. In Lisburn, Co Antrim a man in his 30s was taken to hospital after being shot in the leg at Church Lane. Brennan’s Bar in Hannahstown, Belfast was destroyed in a fire believed to have been started by the UDA. Graffiti on the outside read "UFF release JAD [Johnny Adair]" and "C. Comm[C. Company]".
WED. AUGUST 30, 2000: A Catholic Church hall in Aghadowey, Co Derry, used by cross-community groups, was completely destroyed in an overnight attack blamed on loyalists.
A woman, believed to be Catholic, had paint thrown at her for the second time as she went to her place of work in the loyalist Sandy Row area of Belfast.
British troops were deployed on the streets of Carrickfergus as a result of the previous night’s rioting by loyalists. Mobile British army patrols were also to be seen in loyalist areas of Derry.
The Northern Ireland Housing Executive revealed that more than 53 families had been forced from their homes in the Shankill in the previous two weeks.
In a separate incident, shots were fired at the upstairs windows of a house in Cambrai Street off the Crumlin
The RUC released statistics relating to the loyalist feud since August 16: (a) 18 people were arrested in connection with the feud; (b) seven people were arrested on public order offences; (c) 18 firearms and 700 rounds of ammunition seized; and (d) 69 houses searched revealing the recovery of explosives and drugs valued at £352,000.
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