Renegades declare war on Catholic members of police body -- Republican Bulletin Board of Ireland

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Date Posted: Sat, Sep 20 2003, 15:50:52 GMT
Author: Lynn
Subject: Renegades declare war on Catholic members of police body

The Guardian
Renegades declare war on Catholic members of police body

Burnt out cars and death threats undermine fledgling authority in Northern Ireland

Rosie Cowan, Ireland correspondent
Saturday September 20, 2003
The Guardian

Burnt out cars, death threats, two resignations - the past week has been a severe test for Northern Ireland's fledgling district policing partnerships (DPPs). Can the boards stand up to dissident republicans trying to undermine efforts to make policing more accessible to all sides?

The 26 boards, one in each council area were set up under the Patten reforms to give local communities more direct input into how they are policed. But renegade republican terrorists have declared war on all DPP members, although they currently appear to be focusing on Catholics, denouncing them as traitors to the nationalist community, whose traditional hostility to the police is being turned around by the peace process and efforts to balance up the predominantly Protestant service.

In the past week, dissidents linked to the Real IRA, the group that bombed Omagh, torched the cars of Marian Quinn, a Derry DPP member, and Arthur McGarrigle, who belongs to the DPP in Strabane, Co Tyrone. A Fermanagh DPP member and a Cookstown member have quit due to intimidation, and it was revealed that Denis Bradley, vice-chairman of the overseeing policing board, had received three bullets and a Mass card in the post last month.

Police have arrested four men and a woman in Strabane in connection with the campaign of intimidation, and Hugh Orde, the chief constable, has promised to step up security for DPP members.

Mrs Quinn and Mr McGarrigle have both vowed to remain on the DPPs. But there is no doubting the fear and distress generated by the attacks on their cars. Mr McGarrigle's car was burned outside the Strabane school where he teaches, while a breeze block and a petrol container were hurled through the back window of the Quinn's family car outside their home in the Galliagh area of Derry. Mrs Quinn was particularly upset as the car was vital to her disabled husband, who will be virtually housebound until it can be replaced. His crutches were in the car and were also destroyed. It was the third incident involving the family in the past two months. But she insisted it had only strengthened her resolve. "I'm frightened for myself and for my family. What mother wouldn't be?" she admitted. "I thought the days of these bully boy tactics were finished but obviously not.

"But a stand has to be taken and these men have to be told no, enough is enough. I feel I've entered into a contract on behalf of my community to do the best I can to meet policing needs in my city and this has made me more determined to carry it through."

The issue has turned into a political battle between Sinn Fein and the SDLP. While some of the Catholic DPP members are independent, others are SDLP supporters, and the moderate nationalist party sees Sinn Fein's refusal to endorse the new policing arrangements as undermining solidarity against the Real IRA. Republicans claim the reforms have not gone far enough and Sinn Fein condemned the SDLP's decision to join the policing board, the first time a nationalist party has played an active role in policing in the history of the Northern Irish state.

Mark Durkan, the SDLP leader, said those behind the attacks and threats were "faceless, gutless people", but that insinuation and intimidatory remarks from Sinn Fein in the past had contributed to the current situation. "The policing board is more successful than anyone thought it would be," he said. "It is not that the SDLP jumped too soon but that Sinn Fein is in danger of jumping too late. I do not want to hear mealy-mouthed distancing from Sinn Fein on the attacks on Catholic DPP members. "

Mr Orde thought some Provisional IRA members were behind the threats in Cookstown, and some unionist politicians said they found it hard to believe such intimidation was going on in nationalist areas without PIRA knowledge.

But Sinn Fein has staunchly refuted any suggestion PIRA is involved and leading Sinn Fein figures like Martin McGuinness and Mitchel McLaughlin have roundly condemned the latest attacks. They dismissed the Real IRA as a "micro group" with no support and no strategy, while Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein leader, accused the SDLP of opportunism over the DPP issue.

Despicable

Unionist politicians, church leaders and trade unionists have all pledged their support for DPP members. David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, said attempts to intimidate those carrying out civic duties were despicable. Sean Brady, the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, said: "Violence and intimidation have no place in a community which believes in freedom and human rights."

Mr Bradley said the nationalist community must stick together and show its disgust to force dissident republicans to abandon these tactics. This could take the form of mass demonstrations or even going to the doors of those thought to be behind the intimidation. He said it was also vital for Sinn Fein take a stronger stand.

"There is something in my guts that hates bullying and I ask, what are the Catholic community going to do about it?" he said.

"Marian Quinn knows that if people like her are swept aside her community is deeply damaged. The people that can save them are the bishops, the priests, the trade unionists and Sinn Fein. They [Sinn Fein] need to move for the greater good. They are also part of this Catholic community and I am sure they do not want to see it damaged to the degree it could be."

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