Dissidents urged to explain their actions

by This should answer Martin Tue Aug 06, 2002 08:34

When reporting on nationalist resistance to Brit occupation forces
in west Belfast on July 12 a SAOIRSE reporter was approached by an
individual who said he was a Republican activist.
The man, who kept his face covered and wore a baseball hat pulled
down to cover his eyes asked if the reporter would accompany him. He
said the reporter would be given a statement about a military
operation carried out the night before. Our reporter agreed to
accompany the man.
The reporter was taken to a car where he was told to get into the
back seat and to lie down and not to look up.By now darkness had fallen.
The car was driven off and for what seemed like some time the car was
driven around.
When the car stopped our reporter was told to keep his head down as
he was taken up what seemed like an alleyway and then into a house.
Our reporter was asked to sit down and was told it was OK to look up.
In the darkened room that was up by a small lamp there were two
individuals. Both wore military style uniforms.
In the room there was a table that was draped with the National Flag.
Along the wall behind the table were four chairs.
After a few minutes four people entered the room: Two women and two
men wearing masks and military uniforms.
Two of those who entered the room at this stage were armed. One of
the men and one of the women had handguns tucked into their belts.
Both flanked the other two members of the group at the table.
The man in the middle of the table spoke in a strong plain voice.
He thanked our reporter for coming. He said the group that the
SAOIRSE reporter had seen were all Republican activists.
He went on: "Ideologically our belief is that of Sinn Féin
Poblachtach. Our goal is that of a 32 County Federal Democratic
Socialist Republic" and added "true Republicans will never settle for
anything less than that".
". . . We will carry on our struggle by whatever means we feel
necessary to remove Englands occupation of our country.
"Generations of Irishmen, women, boys and girls have struggled, gone
to prison and sacrificed their lives to see Ireland free. Not a Free
State set-up or Stormont rule, but real freedom from the centre to
the sea, where all the people of Ireland, working as one unit, can
determine their own destiny free from Englands interference."
The women sitting next to the man spoke next, again in a strong clear voice.
She said: "There have been a number of operations carried out by our
ASU [Active Service Unit] in Belfast.
"We have been responsible for a number of operations against Brit
occupation forces and have been active in north Belfast carrying out
attacks in the Limestone Road and Ardoyne areas.
"In both these areas our Volunteers targeted the RUC and Brit Crown
forces who were brutalising the nationalist people.
"We are responsible for the van bomb on April 26 which was set at the
Westlink roundabout and caused total chaos in Belfast city centre,
closing the M1 and part of the M2.
"Our Volunteers were active in Ardoyne on May 4, carrying out a
number of attacks that day on RUC and Brit occupation forces who were
brutalising the nationalist people at the Ardoyne shops on the Crumlin Road.
"On Thursday night, July 11, our Volunteers carried out a van bomb
attack in Belfast. This operation had to be abandoned because of
occupation force activity in the area.
"Contrary to spin doctoring of Brit and pro-Brit elements our
intended target was not the sectarian Orange parades taking place the
following day," She added that she was not prepared to state the
intended target.
She also said the van bomb was abandoned in Little Donegal Street
because of, as already stated, "Crown Force activity".
"It was placed well away from built up civilian areas and a number of
phone warnings were given to newsrooms to avoid any civilian causalities.
"All our Volunteers returned safely to base."
She went on the say: "As long as the English enforce their occupation
of the Six Counties we will meet them with whatever force and
weaponry we have at our disposal.
"Our Volunteers are determined to carry on the struggle and we will
call the shots.
"England thinks she has beaten the will of the people. She believes
Republicanism is dead. She has given ex-comrades seats in the halls of power.
"She believes she has been able to buy off resistance to Brit rule in
Ireland. But we say she is wrong. Englands castle in Ireland is built
on a foundation of sand and it will surely topple."
She ended by thanking the SAOIRSE reporter for coming. All four then
stood up and following an order in Irish, left the room.
Our reporter was then taken back to where he had been picked up in a
repeat of the earlier journey.

by MM Sat Aug 03, 2002 10:13

McGuinness now wants to debate anti-agreement Republicans instead of having them shot dead or beat senseless? Rem. Joe O'Connor RIP