WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2002: On Wednesday night near a childrens playground in Belfast Castle, a bomb explosion injured a man and a child of six years old.
The explosion, that was said to be caused by a pipe bomb went off in a rubbish bin. The man and child were treated in hospital for shock.
A number of youths were seen running away from the bin just before the explosion.
On Wednesday there was also minor trouble in a number of interface areas of north Belfast, nothing as bad as recent days. Tension was still high over north Belfast.
Reports of a petrol bomb attack on a house in the Deer Park Road on Wednesday night. Slogans have been painted on walls in the Deer Park area/Old Park Road which read "Taigs Out".
There were no reports of anyone being injured in this attack and no damage was done.
THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2002: James McKee of Pineview Heights, Gilford was sentenced to six months and Andrea McKee of Stabler Crescent, Garden Wrexham was sentenced to six months suspended at Craigavon Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice in relation to the killing of Robert Hamill on April 27, 1997 by a loyalist mob in Portadown, Co Armagh. It was alleged that they lied to provide an alibi for an RUC reservist who, it was claimed, called the alleged suspect and advised him to destroy evidence.
Belfast City Council was ordered to pay £6,908 to a nationalist employee following a series of threats from loyalists at its Dunbar Link depot in 1997.
SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2002: 7am. A crowd of loyalists went on the rampage in the nationalist Whitewell area, causing damage to a number of nationalist homes and cars. A number of windows were also broken. As people came out of their homes the loyalists ran off.
SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2002: In the early hours of Sunday loyalists kicked off a heavy attack on the nationalist Short Strand in east Belfast with a number of petrol bombs and these were followed by blast bombs.
As nationalists came out of their homes in Madrid Street to confront the loyalist attackers fighting took place. Running battles and hand to hand fighting took place as loyalist crowds from the Lower Newtownards Road tried to force their way into the nationalist enclave. Madrid Street also came under attack from the loyalist Thistle Court.
Shots were also fired by loyalist gunmen. Nationalists said they witnessed a number of well known UVF members in the loyalist mob and also a number of the UVF mouth pieces. The loyalist mob were shouting and singing sectarian loyalist party songs as well as shouting UVF slogans.
As Brit/RUC occupation forces flooded into Madrid Street the fighting went on with plastic bullets being fired. Here also there were a number of injuries caused to nationalists. At this stage one member of the Provisionals, who had been pushing nationalist street-fighters back from the defence line, was confronted by the RUC in riot gear and set upon and shot with a plastic bullet suffering severe head injuries for which he had to undergo an operation on Sunday afternoon. His condition was said to be life threatening.
It has been reported a number of times in SAOIRSE that the Provos carry out their own police action against the nationalist street fighters, facing down the nationalists, stopping resistance to Brit forces. They turn their backs to the RUC as they push nationalists back, in many cases manhandling the nationalists.
An old Republican saying comes to mind: "Never trust a Brit", or in this case the RUC Brit Paramilitary police force.
At one stage the RUC kicked in a number of doors in Madrid Street, batoning people as they did so.
The fighting subsided around 3am.
On Sunday afternoon a stand-off took place between nationalists and loyalists at Madrid Street. Occupation forces were heavy on the ground and tension stayed high.
As the earlier attack was taking place on Madrid Street, in another part of Short Strand pensioners bungalows were attacked by loyalist bombers, causing severe damage to two of the bungalows.
The bungalow that took the full force was empty when the attack took place. The pensioner who lives there was staying with friends.
Around 8.30pm. Two to three hundred loyalists came out onto the Ardoyne Road. Stoning took place as around 50 nationalist youths confronted the loyalists. Brit occupation forces flooded the area and RUC Land Rovers were once again driven through the nationalist youths to cheers from loyalists.
Land Rovers were again driven along footpaths as the RUC tried to run the nationalists down. At one stage riot clad RUC men jumped from the back of two Land Rovers on the Ardoyne Road and got hold of a nationalist woman, beating her. As other people went to the woman's aid they too were manhandled by the RUC.
As this was going on a number of Provisionals moved in, pushing the nationalists back.
One well-known Ardoyne Provisional didn't take too well to what the women were saying about the Provos.
He made for one of the women who demanded to know who the Provies were to be manhandling the people there, the treatment by the Provisionals of them, making their anger even greater, more so as the Provisionals carried out their own policing as the RUC beat the nationalists.
The Provisional broke off talking with the RUC to make towards the women who were complaining about the Provos actions. As the RUC looked on the Provisional became very aggressive towards the women, so much so that other Provisionals had to move to calm the situation.
Not for the first time the Provisionals have carried out anti-resistance action against nationalists. To push people back as they do; to order people off their own streets and to manhandle the nationalist people; to stop them offering resistance is Anti-Resistance. Taking away a peoples right to defend themselves, families, homes and community from Brit and loyalist aggression is all Anti-Resistance. For this England pays the Provisionals well. But one thing came out of what the Provisionals did that night: The people are becoming more and more sickened by what the Provisionals are doing.
They [Provisionals] have gone too far down the road of no return. They now start to underestimate the nationalist people.
No doubt they [Provisionals] want to appear great. To do this they need to put the nationalist people on their knees. They won't, but the more they try the more dangerous they become to those in their own community.
As one old woman said: "I never thought the IRA [Provisional] would turn on their own but they have. It's a terrible thing to see. I never thought I'd see this day."
Along the interface areas of Ardoyne the Provisionals stood four or five, moving nationalist youths on.
This is the un-uniformed paramilitary police of the occupied counties, very willing to uphold Brit mis-rule and disorder as they claim to be Republican; their mind-set a very confusing one to the self!
Before Sunday ended there was trouble in a number of areas. These were Ardoyne, Alliance Ave, coming under stoning from loyalists in the Alliance Road. Short Strand and Whitewell also came under attack from loyalists. Trouble was minor to that seen only hours earlier.
Tension stayed high and Brit occupation forces were heavy on the ground.
MONDAY, MAY 13, 2002: Tension once again ruled the day in north and east Belfast. Brit occupation forces were heavy on the ground.
Brit APCs patrolled through both areas and these backed RUC Land Rovers and foot patrols. This was constant.
Again trouble broke out in north and east Belfast, mostly stone throwing at Ardoyne Road and Alliance Ave and also at the Short Strand in Madrid Street.
Monday also saw the start of the imposed visit of the English Queen/Brit Army Chief to the occupied Six Counties. Again nationalist areas suffered because of this imposed visit with Brit occupation forces descending on many nationalist areas, no doubt to stop any protest against the imposed visit.
Monday was once again witness to minor trouble, stone throwing in a number of interface areas. As darkness fell an uneasy calm fell over north and east Belfast.
TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2002: On Tuesday a large force of Brit/RUC occupation forces descended on the Short Strand as lines of Brit army APCs and RUC Land Rovers drove into the area.
Jumping from the backs of these vehicles riot clad Brits and RUC broke down a number of doors in the area, carrying out raids and wrecking a number of nationalist homes as they did so.
This aggression by Brit/RUC occupation forces was at first met by peaceful protest from the nationalist people of Short Strand as members of the Provisionals tried to keep everything calm. But this nationalist area was under attack and the nationalist people moved to defend it which they have every right to do.
Nationalist street fighters soon went into action as hundreds of nationalists took to the streets. Fighting took place at close hand with riot-clad occupation forces, APCs and Land Rovers in great force ringing the area. Nationalist street fighters fought against the odds in a very brave action which saw a number of them injured.
Once again the defence and attack weapon, the petrol bomb, was brought into play. The first of these were used after a number of nationalists were injured with plastic bullets.
A number of Brit APCs and RUC Land Rovers were hit by petrol bombs.
Men, women and children were targeted by RUC/Brit gunmen firing plastic bullets. We should all remember that the plastic bullet is a killer weapon.
A number of witnesses told SAOIRSE that a number of people had indeed been hit. One of these had a broken arm. A youth of 16 years old was wounded in the chest. He didn't take the full force of the bullet as it hit a wall first but the wound he suffered was bad.
A number of other people were hit but wouldn't go to hospital for treatment. One man said: "innocent or not, the Peelers will be waiting at the hospital to lift you".
The Provisonals in the area later called a peaceful protest.
There was stone throwing later on Tuesday night in the Short Strand as well as Ardoyne Road, Alliance Ave and Whitewell.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2002: Notorious UFF leader Johnny Adair was released from Maghaberry prison on Wednesday morning. Around 8.30am after getting out of a prison van, Adair walked to the car park where he was greeted by around 200 UDA/UFF supporters.
His mouth-piece, John White, read out a statement in which he said Mr Adair would 'make a positive contribution to the peace process'. He also went on to say that the nationalist community had nothing to fear from Johnny Adair.
There'll be no-one giving three cheers in the nationalist community for what Adair or his mouth-piece have to say. Maybe the real statement from Johnny Adair was the word “Replay” that was on his T-shirt.
Also at the prison to meet Adair was the six man UFF/UDA Command. Adair and his supporters were then driven to the UFF's C Coy strong-hold in the lower Shankill Road where crowds of loyalists were waiting. Here Adair's men ordered TV and Press to leave the area.
There was trouble in a number of areas throughout the day. Stone throwing at the back of nationalist homes on Alliance Ave from the loyalist Alliance Road. There was also stone throwing at Whitewell.
But the worst of the trouble was once again at Short Strand where hundreds of nationalists and loyalists confronted each other on the interface of Madrid Street.
This latest trouble came after a loyalist mob attacked the nationalist homes in the area with golf balls, ball bearings and stones, then with fireworks and pipe bombs.
The fighting went on for some time, subsiding when Brit/RUC occupation forces flooded the area and Provisionals pushed nationalist youths back. The area once again descended into an uneasy calm.
It should be noted by readers that in this latest pogrom against the nationalist community in north and east Belfast many nationalists suffered injuries. How many will have to be down to guess work as those who can will get aid locally. The more badly wounded have no other choice but to seek hospital treatment where the RUC are waiting to lift them.
A number of pipe bombs were found near nationalist homes on the Serpentine Road. None went off.
THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2002: Minor trouble broke out in a number of areas in Belfast, the worst of these being shots being reported fired into the Short Strand.
Other areas that saw trouble were Alliance Ave where loyalist youths from Alliance Road stoned nationalist homes. Also there was stone throwing at Whitewell.
Later in the Ligoniel there was more trouble as nationalists and loyalist confronted each other. The fighting here subsided after a time.
FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2002: Provisional police were posted at interface areas. This is now an ongoing thing. Nationalist youths were moved on by these policemen, only yards in many areas from where the RUC were posted.
Minor stone throwing took place from the loyalist Alliance Road against nationalist houses at Alliance Ave. There were reports of stoning in a number of areas, minor, causing no damage.
SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2002: Sunday afternoon. For a time stoning took place with at least two nationalist houses around the middle of the Alliance Ave being hit with stones but causing no damage. Occupation forces were heavy on the ground.
MONDAY, MAY 20, 2002: The Provo police were on the streets of Ardoyne moving on nationalist youths only yards away from where Brits and RUC were posted. It should be pointed out that many of those carrying out these police actions would not have been seen on the streets before the Provisionals ceasefire.
This doesn't go unnoticed within the nationalist community. It is these people who now stop resistance to Brit occupation and sectarian loyalism.
There's no doubt that feelings even within the Provisionals over these mercenaries is causing embarrassment, more so when local people point out the above facts in public. As one nationalist youth put it: "If an Orangeman came round that corner with a gun you wouldn't see them boys for dust!"
A very true assessment indeed knowing the calibre of these people as we do.
The result of the general election in the 26 Counties on May 17 was as follows: Fianna Fáil, 81 seats; Fine Gael, 31; Labour 21; PDs, 8; Greens, 6; Provisionals, 5; others 14.
TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2002: RUC claimed to have found arms and bomb parts in the Whitewell area of north Belfast. It was claimed that two rifles, one a hunting rifle with a sight and bomb parts were found in a house near the interface area of the nationalist Whitewell.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2002: Loyalist resident group at Glenbryn said on Wednesday night that after a meeting to discuss proposals put forward by British Stormont ministers Trimble and Durkan, that they would accept the proposals to have a wall built across the Ardoyne Road and to have the road itself re-aligned. Loyalist Mark Coulter said that after debate the residents group said they would accept the proposals.
It should be pointed out to readers who don't know this part of north Belfast that the proposals put forward by the two Stormont ministers would accomplish just what the loyalist bigots who attacked primary school children and their parents as they walked to Holy Cross school, would get just what they wanted, in effect sectarianism and bigotry would win the day.
The Holy Cross primary school would be cut off, making a very dangerous situation for the children and their parents even more dangerous.
For making such proposals these two Stormont ministers have shown they lack understanding of the people, area and the whole situation in north Belfast.
Nationalists in Ardoyne will not accept such proposals because it is nothing more than a reward for bigots who attacked primary school children, just because they happened to be Catholic. Is this how sectarianism and bigotry should be paid? Right thinking people will say no.
THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2002: After a meeting in an Ardoyne community centre to discuss the proposals put forward by British Stormont ministers to build a wall across the Ardoyne Road and re-align the road. Parents of the Holy Cross school children rejected the proposals as nothing more than a reward for those bigots who attacked their children. As one parent put it, those proposals are just what the bigots wanted. It would see the school cut off and would solve nothing. It would make matters far worse. We don't believe there was any thought given to the children.
Also on Thursday bullets were found in Maghaberry jail. In an interview with the Newsletter on Thursday, the Republican Sinn Fein POW Department said they were not surprised by the find and believed, as they have pointed out many times that not only did RSF believe ammunition was already in the hands of loyalists within the prison but also a small firearm.
This shows clearly the folly of the enforced integration policy of the Maghaberry regime: A policy that will see a Republican prisoner killed if it is not ended.
SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2002: Trouble broke out at North Queen Street. Loyalists who were erecting loyalist and Israeli flags near an interface turned their attention to attacking nationalist homes on North Queen Street.
The attack on the nationalist community started around 10am.
A running battle took place as nationalists came onto the street to confront the loyalist attackers. Fighting took place at close hand for a time, only subsiding after Brit Crown forces moved into the area in force and members of the Provisionals moved the nationalist street fighters back.
At around 11am an uneasy calm settled over the area as the RUC and Brit occupation forces blocked North Queen Street for a time.
As the day went on there was a number of confrontations as loyalists attacked nationalist homes.
At one stage a loyalist blast bomber was believed to have been injured as the bomb he was trying to throw went off. Claims that nationalists had thrown the bomb were rubbished by witnesses. Tension stayed high as groups of people stayed on the streets.
A crowd of loyalists picketed the annual blessing of the graves service at Carnmoney cemetery in Glengormley around 3pm on Sunday afternoon. Sectarian loyalist bigotry doesn't stop with the living it seems.
Also on Sunday afternoon nationalist homes at McClure Street, Lower Ormeau Road came under attack from loyalists. Windows were broken in a number of the houses.
The loyalists used fireworks, bottles, bricks and stones in this attack as well as other weapons. The loyalists were from the Donegall Pass area and had attacked the houses several times in the last number of days.
The loyalists had by now attacked nationalists homes in North, East and South Belfast, leaving no doubt that they were working to a planned action.
As Sunday went on there was trouble in a number of areas at O'Neill Road near to where loyalists had picketed the blessing of the graves in Carnmoney earlier. A number of cars were burned and rioting took place as 12th bonfire wood and debris was used to block roads in the area.
Loyalists also attacked the nationalist community there and a number of petrol bombs were used. The rioting subsided after a time. In Glengormley the nationalist community has been the constant victim of sectarian loyalism but the suffering of the nationalist community in this part of north Belfast far too often just goes unnoticed
Sunday night was also witness to loyalist bomb attacks; two nationalist homes near the Limestone Road, one bomb going off at a house in Parkside Gardens and a house at Newington Street causing damage but no injuries. Sundays attacks on the nationalist community took place after a lull in loyalist attacks. This is the loyalist paramilitaries running to form, taking a break away to come back worse than before in many cases.
Tension was once again at a high level.
Trouble flared following a junior Orange march down the Garvaghy Road, in Portadown, Co Armagh. The lodge marched from Shillington's Bridge to the lower end of the Garvaghy Road where a line of RUC/PSNI Land Rovers separated nationalist residents from the marchers.
MONDAY, MAY 27, 2002: At around 12 noon a bomb scare closed the Crumlin Road at the Ardoyne shops. The scare that turned out to be a hoax was placed at the bookies at the top of Brompton Park.
On Monday afternoon nationalist homes at McClure Street were once again attacked by loyalists from the Donegall Pass area.
It was reported tat nationalist taxi drivers in Lurgan, Co Armagh were told by the RUC/PSNI that they should not stop their cars for any length of time in the town, as they might become the target of loyalist blast bombs.
MONDAY/TUESDAY, MAY 27/28, 2002: Sometime late on Monday night or in the early hours of Tuesday morning the headstone of the grave of Danny McColgan, who was murdered on January 12, 2002 by the UDA/UFF at Rathcoole Post Office, Newtownabbey, was smashed to bits by loyalists using a sledgehammer.
This attack took place at Carnmoney cemetery where on Sunday loyalist bigots picketed the blessing of the graves. It wasn't enough for these loyalists to murder young Danny McColgan, they now seek to add to his family’s pain by attacking this young man’s grave. Driven by hate, these sectarian bigots are the scum of the earth.
Hugh Orde, of the London Metropolitan Police, was appointed Chief Constable of the RUC/PSNI.
THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2002: On Thursday morning as the parents and children of Holy Cross school walked up the Ardoyne Road, they were met by groups of loyalists who had gathered on parts of the road. The loyalists shouted a number of hate-filled sectarian slogans.
Those walking to the school noticed that a number of posters had been posted on lampposts along the Ardoyne Road featuring one of the women who walks children to the school.
This woman from Ardoyne was made the target for foul talk and sectarian slogans shouted by the loyalists.
The question of loyalists having photos of parents and children of Holy Cross is a worrying one, the fact is that they were able to get close enough to the parents and children to take photos of them which are then being used to threaten them.
FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2002: On Friday afternoon a bomb scare took place at Holy Cross chapel, Ardoyne. A witness said a package was left in the chapel gounds.
The area around the chapel and Crumlin Road shops was closed for a time; the RUC/PSNI later claimed the scare was a hoax.
Friday night around 7pm fighting once again broke out on the Lower Newtownards Road when loyalists who were erecting Union sectarian flags started to attack homes on the interface at Short Strand. Nationalists then moved to defend the area and fighting took place, with bricks, bottles and stones flying. Soon petrol bombs were being used and gunfire was heard. Loyalist bombers threw at least two blast bombs as British Occupation Forces moved in in force. The fighting went on for some time, with nationalists now defending themselves against combined British Forces and loyalist attack.
Again as they have done many times before loyalists attacked the very Crown Forces they claim as their own. Loyalism is in a very confused state indeed.
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