FEBRUARY, 2003


SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2003: Two members of the British-backed loyalist death squad the UDA were shot dead by former associates in an escalation of the loyalist feud. John Gregg, reputed to be the UDA's south-east Antrim brigadier, was killed in a taxi at the corner of Nelson Street and Great George's Street in the docks area of Belfast as he returned with three other men from a Glasgow Rangers soccer match in Scotland. The three other men were injured and one of them, Robert Grayson (33), also a member of the UDA, died later in hospital.

It was reported that British police forces have been given new powers to recruit ten-year-olds as paid informers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and British Home Office said they are employed by 12 of Britain’s 43 forces. The only restriction is that under-16s cannot inform on their parents. The recent case of a 12-year-old informer in the Six Occupied Counties has been referred to Nuala O'Loan, the British Police Ombudsman. The boy was paid £15 a time to inform on Republicans but his cover was blown and members of the INLA abducted and interrogated him.

An explosive device partially detonated outside the British Territorial army base at Haywood Avenue, off Sunnyside Street in south Belfast.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2003: Five protesters appeared in court charged with causing further damage to a US naval airplane which was still being repaired after another incident last week.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2003: The Dublin administration announced that they are to deploy 26-County soldiers to protect foreign military aircraft refuelling at Shannon Airport.


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2003: Wednesday was once again witness to occupation forces enforce in north Belfast and loyalist west Belfast's Shankill. Foot and mobile patrols set the scene for the day. Reports came in that hand to hand fighting took place in the lower Shankill area. It was believed the fighting started after a number of cars drove into the Lower Shankill around 10pm. It has also been reported that shots were fired.
 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2003: The morning after the night before told the story of what now must be the end to the Adair faction of the UDA/UFF in the Lower Shankill.

It has become clear that a large number of Adair's C. Coy jumped ship before the Upper Shankill faction moved in to take control of Adair's area, kicking out Adair's family in the process. A number of others left the area as well, one of these, John White, who earlier said he would not run nor would he be forced out of the Shankill. All turned up in Scotland. A large force of Occupation Forces has now moved into the Shankill Road.

Later in the day a number of pipe bombs and bullets were found in a loyalist area in the Old Park area of North Belfast and on Thursday night shots were fired into a house at Jonmount Upper, Old Park Road, it is believed at this stage that the shooting is part of the push of the anti-Adair faction.

Also on Thursday the funeral took place of John Gregg. Thousands of loyalists took part in the funeral of Gregg, a man known for his sectarian bigotry and hate of Catholics and Nationalists.

It also has come to our notice that a number of nationalists in the Greater Belfast area were visited by the RUC/PSNI to tell them that they were under threat from the UDA/UFF, already the fears and concerns within the nationalist community that loyalists would soon find common ground in targeting them has become real.
 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2003: Because of a bomb scare in the Dunmurry area which began around 7am, the motorway was closed for over five miles hitting rush hour traffic into Belfast and Lisburn, the scare is said to be centred around a car close to the motorway. Reports later on Friday morning have stated that a bomb left in a car in the Dunmurry area went off as occupation forces moved into the area.

A caller to a UTV newsroom claimed the bomb had been left by the Continuity IRA. Traffic was also hit at the Westlink Grosvenor Road in Belfast after another phone call that stated a bomb had been left in the area there, nothing was found.

Throughout the day in the Lower Shankill Road in Johnny Adair's area belonging's belonging to Adair and his supporters were loaded into vans and taken from the area.
 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2003: Sectarian loyalist attacks that have been ongoing in the Limestone Road area of north Belfast blew up into bombings and shootings on Saturday night.

Once again loyalists from the Tiger’s Bay area attacked into the nationalist streets of the Limestone Road and Newington. A pregnant mother of three fell victim to a pipe bomb when it went off close to her after it was thrown into the nationalist area by a loyalist bomber. The woman later received a number of stitches for a shrapnel wound to her head; a youth was also injured. The trouble was worse than it has been for some time.
 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2003: Sunday morning was witness to the trouble of the night before as people walked to their places of worship in the Limestone Road and Newington areas of north Belfast. Broken glass and other rubble lay on the ground. As the morning went on a number of unexploded pipe bombs that had been thrown the night before by loyalists were found.

On Sunday night around 8pm a blast bomb was thrown through the window of a home of three pensioners. All three, who were in the house at Ambleside Street in the loyalist Shankill area were injured when the bomb went off. At this stage it is not known if the bombing, believed to have been a mistake was part of the ongoing feud.

 
Fifteen people were arrested and 18 members of the RUC/PSNI colonial police were injured during clashes in the Castle Street area of Omagh, Co Tyrone in which about 200 people were involved. The police used brutal tactics against a group of young people, including ramming them against walls using police vehicles.

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2003: It was reported in the Irish News that a caller to the paper claimed responsibility for the car bomb near the M1 Motorway on Friday morning last. The caller who represented the Continuity Irish Republican Army said the device had an anti-handling device on board and the bomb was intended for Occupation Forces.

The caller said more attacks would follow; the caller used a recognised codeword.

Also on Monday Republican Sinn Féin in north Belfast voiced concern that British Occupation Forces were driving around Old Park Road and the Nationalist Bone Area taking photographs of young nationalist youths and children.

One youth told Republican Sinn Féin that “the Brits open the door of a Land Rover when they are passing and call us ‘Fenian Bs’ and the like when you turn round they take your photo; they do it all the time”. Republican Sinn Féin has demanded that this breach of our children's human rights is ended; we would also question what the photographs are to be used for.

“Our children are the most precious of our people and must be protected from harm; should it be foreign or domestic,” the spokesperson for Republican Sinn Féin said.
 

A bomb exploded outside the town hall in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.  It was reported that a device in a plastic bag was left at the entrance in the gable wall of the town hall, on Town Hall Street. Six RUC/PSNI members sustained minor injuries and superficial damage was caused to the building. A number of calls were reported to have been made locally were made from a person claiming to represent the Continuity IRA.

David Trimble's Ulster Unionist Party faced allegations that it produced bogus electoral registration forms in the Six Occupied Counties when the Chief Electoral Officer Denis Stanley, said that he had received confirmation the UUP was suspected of printing its own forms.


 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2003: Tuesday morning saw Republican Sinn Féin launch their new booklet An Address to the People of Ireland from Republican Sinn Féin Poblachtach. The launch took place in Conway Mill, West Belfast, the platform for the proceedings were Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, Geraldine Taylor and Joe O'Neill. The launch was well received.

There were a number of bomb scares around Belfast city centre on Tuesday night. The scares turned out to be a hoax. But in the Internet Café it was claimed that a firebomb was left in the hall around 7pm; it is unclear at this stage why the café was a target or who carried out the attack.
 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2003: It was reported that there had been a meeting between the UVF and UDA. The general feeling is both groups are coming together; these meetings and the fact that these groups seem to be making peace with each other can only cause concern within the nationalist community as there is little doubt the nationalist community will be very much within the thinking of any pact between the UDA and UVF.

Also on Wednesday Belfast city centre was once again hit by bomb scares that started around 5pm; traffic was also hit and Royal Avenue was closed for a time. It is unclear who carried out the hoax calls. No claim of responsibility has been made.

 
According to a statement which appeared in the Belfast Irish News, the Continuity IRA said they were responsible for the attack in Enniskillen and also said that they carried out an attack on Stewartstown police barracks over the weekend. The statement said that such attacks would continue and that district councils should not provide services to British police and army bases. The statement said that threats from Free State ministers would not “deter us from our objective, which remains the removal of the British”.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2003: It was reported that many more nationalists have been told by the RUC that their personal details are in the hands of loyalists. It was  believed that the details of hundreds of nationalists are now in loyalist hands.

Although the finger is being pointed at the UDA there is little doubt if one loyalist grouping has these details then they all have. There were reports that a bomb had been thrown into Wood Burn barracks in West Belfast. A caller to a newsroom warned of the bomb, but no claim of responsibility was made.

The Republican Sinn Fíin office on Belfasts Falls Road, targeted in an arson attack on February 15. Despite the attack the plaque unveiling (below) went ahead as planned the following week.

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2003: It was reported today that three men working in a post office in Belfast have been threatened by the Red Hand Defenders, this is a cover name for the UDA. The men are believed to be two postmen and a manager, all are nationalists.
 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2003: Saturday saw an arson attempt on Republican Sinn Féin's Belfast office uncovered. Workmen working on the roof of the building found a petrol can lying on a part of the roof that was scorned and burned. At this stage it is believed that only the fact that the roof is concrete saved the building.

One member of the office staff told SAOIRSE “It's sad when people get to the level where they are foolish enough to believe burning our office will end the work we do within our community; that is not the case. Republican Sinn Féin's status in the community here is strong and the work we do on the political front and at community level will go on, no matter what these misguided fools do.”

In north Belfast on Saturday afternoon a bomb scare closed north Queen Street for a time. The scare centred around a car and later turned out to be a hoax.

The internet café that was at the centre of a firebomb attack earlier in the week was again attacked on Saturday night. A masked gang went into the café and set it a blaze. There is no doubt now that both attacks on the café were carried out by the south Belfast UDA/UFF, who had demanded money from the owner, one woman had to be treated in hospital after this latest attack.
 

Over six million people across the world marched against the George Bush's planned war on Iraq, including 100,000 in Dublin.

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2003: There were no reports of trouble on Sunday, although occupation forces were again heavy on the ground in north Belfast.

A loyalist arson attack on Rathmore Grammar School, Dunmurry, outside Belfast took place on February 17.

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2003: At around 9pm on Monday night an arson attack took place on a Catholic school in Dunmurry, this latest attack carried out by loyalists caused its believed around 10,000stg damage to the school, Rathmore Grammar.

Also on Monday night a nationalist man was set upon by a number of loyalists near the Ardoyne shops. Pasty Hale, a great-grandfather was savagely beaten by the loyalist who had been standing at Twaddell Avenue.

He said later “I saw them standing at Twaddell, but didn't think anything of it. The next thing I knew they had run over, but, I was unable to get away; I remember falling to the ground when they attacked me. I don't remember too much after that.”

Patsy was treated later in hospital for cuts and bruising.
 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2003: It has been reported that loyalist Johnny Adair has lost his appeal to the Brit High Court in Belfast to be released from Maghaberry prison.

An RUC/PSNI barracks on the Antrim Road in Belfast was targeted in a bomb attack.The attack took place around 9.45pm. Part of the Antrim Road and Cave Hill Road were closed for a time as Occupation Forces moved into the area in force.
 

A nationalist couple, Frank and Maureen Burleigh, narrowly escaped death when their home in Linn Road on the Craigyhill Estate in Larne, Co Antrim was petrol-bombed in a loyalist attack. It was revealed that more than 2,000 nationalist people have been forced out of their homes since the Stormont Agreement, 300 from Larne, 300 have left Carrickfergus, and more than 1,400 have left Antrim town since 1998.

Frank Burleigh in his petrol-bombed home in Larne, Co Antrim (February 18).

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2003: It was reported on Wednesday that a caller representing the Continuity Irish Republican Army claimed responsibility for an operation carried out against the RUC barracks on the Antrim Road on Tuesday night. This attack on the Antrim Road barracks is the first militant Republican action of its nature in a number of years in north Belfast.

The CIRA also carried out an attack on Woodbourne barracks in west Belfast. A caller to a local hospital claimed responsibility on behalf of the CIRA.

Also on Wednesday night it was reported that the UDA/UFF in west Belfast dumped a number of pipe bombs and informed the RUC of their whereabouts near the Crumlin Road area.

It is unclear why the UDA/UFF have done this. There is little doubt it's a move to make the UDA/UFF some how look good after the loyalist feud.
Pipe bombs are made in their hundreds by loyalist paramilitaries and should be seen in no way a major handover because a handful of these things turn up.
 

Three handguns, ammunition and a timer were found by the RUC/PSNI on the Lettergreen Road in Donagh, Co Fermanagh.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2003: A number of raids took place in which a number of computers were taken. The RUC/PSNI raids took place in west Belfast.
 

St Colman's Catholic church in Lambeg, Co Antrim was targeted in an arson attack causing scorch damage to the door and rear porch.

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2003: Reports on Friday claimed the UDA/UFF are calling a ceasefire. Its believed this cessation is to last twelve months.

Again nationalists have dismissed these claims as nothing to get excited about.; the UDA/UFF have called ceasefires before and used these so-called cessations to murder and target nationalists under other names such as Red Hand Defenders.

Talking to a woman pensioner living on the frontline in Alliance Avenue in north Belfast it was easy to see no one here was falling for this latest statement from the UDA/UFF. This woman who had been a target for loyalist bombers three times in the last eight months and didn't want to be named.

She said “I don't believe the loyalist attacks will end. They have called ceasefires before and more often than not it was ‘no claim, no blame’.

“I can tell you that I won't sleep content over it, I've gone through far too much to believe a word that comes out of their mouths.”

This is the general feeling within the nationalist community. Friday was also witness to a number of bomb scares around Belfast all turnout to be hoax's.

It was reported that the UDA/UFFdeath squad had dumped a stockpile of explosives to be defused by British army bomb experts.

It was also reported on Friday that a letter bomb had been sent to Grafton Recruitment in Belfast city centre. Grafton recruitment is carrying out recruiting for the RUC/PSNI.
 

In a statement reported in the Irish Times the Continuity IRA denied setting up any alliance with the so-called Real IRA.

New RUC/PSNI statistics revealed that around 500 attacks and attempted pipe bomb attacks have been carried out by loyalists since 2000.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2003: Saturday turned out to be a bright crisp day; a February sun shone in the sky as if to greet the Colour Party as they set off on the short walk to the Republican Sinn Féin office on the Falls Road in Belfast.

The occasion on this Saturday afternoon: the unveiling of a plaque and the naming of the office, Teach McKelvey/Steele.

Assembled in front of the office to meet the Colour Party were generations of Republicans from the veterans to the very young. There stood men and women who have carried the mettle of Republicanism from their generation to the next. Men, comrades of Jimmy Steele, such as Billy McKee, Leo Martin and Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, a comradeship and friendship going back many, many years.

Saturday also marked the third anniversary of the opening of the Belfast office and came just a week after an arson attempt on the building by counter revolutionaries; anti-Republicans, today more than any other testimony that such activity will not work. The building itself stands for an ideal, but is not the ideal itself the ideal itself lives within all those faithful and true Republicans who gathered outside the building and who are found all over Ireland and throughout the world.

It should be remembered that you can't kill an ideal, a lesson learnt down through the years and if the might of the British couldn't do it, why do misguided individuals think they can by setting fire to the Republican Sinn Féin Belfast office. The plaque unveiling and naming of the office fell to a man of steadfast principle in the true sense of the word; Republican Sinn Féin President Ruairí Ó Brádaigh; who reflected on the lives of Joe McKelvey done to death by Free Staters an Jimmy Steele who passed on before his time due to the rigours of life given to the Republican Movement, imprisonment, life on the run, for Jimmy, a volunteer of the Irish Republican Army. Ruairí Ó Brádaigh also spoke of Máire Drumm murdered by loyalists as she lay in a hospital bed in the Mater Hospital  a true faithful Republican to death.

During the proceedings a momentous moment took place when veteran Belfast Republican Billy McKee presented a presentation to veteran Cork Republican Kitty O'Brien, something to witness for everyone especially the young who may have not witnessed their like before.

The ceremony over all those in attendance took time out to talk about the unveiling and memories, no doubt Republican and personal.
 

The Ulster Freedom Fighters, a cover name for the Ulster Defence Association, announced an end to ‘paramilitary’ activity for the next 12 months, saying in a statement that its units "have begun to observe a 12-month period of military inactivity". The UDA/UFF death squad is said to be heavily involved in drug dealing and racketeering, and have been responsible for the killing of a number of nationalists in recent years.

 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2003: It was reported that the UDA have five so-called brigadiers in place once again with Courtney taking over his ex-friend Johnny Adair's Lower Shankill area. Reports also claim that Adair himself has been moved to the women's part of Maghaberry prison to protect himself from loyalist attacks.

Sunday was once again witness to a heavy presence of occupation forces on the ground in north Belfast.
 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2003: Monday was once again witness to the usual heavy presence of Brit/RUC Occupation Forces. There were no reports of trouble.
 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2003: Just into Tuesday morning there was a petrol bomb attack on a house in Old Park Avenue in the nationalist Cliftonville/Old Park Road area. A window was broken at the front of the house, but, none of the two petrol bombs got through the window, falling back into the garden. Two men were seen getting into a car and driving off towards the Cliftonville Road.
 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2003: Wednesday was witness to the unwelcome visit of the British Queen to the Occupied Six Counties. The visit took in the Laganside area as well as the Laganside Court building and under the watchful eyes of occupation forces, in uniform and under cover, with many Brit gunmen on roofs of high buildings.
 

Michael Lavelle (50), his wife Mary  (46) and his son Emmet (26), all from Donagh, Co Fermanagh were charged at Enniskillen Magistrates Court. Michael was charged with conspiracy to cause an explosion, possessing items of use to terrorists, possession of explosives, possession of firearms and ammunition and membership of the Continuity IRA. Mary was charged with conspiracy to cause an explosion and possessing items of use to terrorists and Emmet was charged with membership of the Continuity IRA, conspiracy to cause an explosion and possession of items likely to be of use to terrorists.

Loyalists were blamed for an overnight bomb attack on home in Lurgan, Co Armagh home of a nationalist family.
A mother and daughter escaped injury when a blast bomb thrown at their house exploded at the front door causing minor damage. A second device found in the front garden of the house at Demense Avenue was defused by army bomb disposal experts.


 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2003: Thursday passed off without any reports of trouble although Occupation Forces were heavy on the ground.
 

Mary Lavelle was granted bail on stringent conditions.

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2003: Reports on Friday have stated that the new so called UDA Brigadier for South East Antrim has been linked to the murder of postman Daniel McColgan, an innocent Catholic man murdered in the Loyalist Rathcoole estate.

The claim made in the North Belfast News stated the man as well as being linked to the McColgan murder, is also one of the gunmen who killed Mark Quail, a UVF man in a UDA/UFF feud in 2000. This UDA killer has replaced John "Grugg" Gregg who was killed by Johnny Adair's C Company.

Gregg, a multiple murderer, whose victims include a young Protestant Gavin Brett mistaken for a Catholic, a friend of Gavin's a Catholic was also wounded and Catholic postman Daniel McColgan. The report in the North Belfast News has also claimed the new UDA man is more militant than Gregg.

It was claimed in Ardoyne that the Brit cameras cut down by nationalists will not now be replaced. The will of the people to be free from the Brit spy cameras winning the day for now.

There is little doubt the Brits will try something else through time. But, for now the nationalist people of Ardoyne cannot be blamed for feeling that wee bit proud that for now at least they've got one over on the Brits.
 
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