FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-EMERGENCYNET NEWS SVC.-11/14/93-1200CST
IRA VIOLENCE GREATEST SINCE 1972, NO END IN SIGHT?
By Clark Staten, ERRI Analyst
IRA Terrorism Review July, 1993 to November, 1993
Chicago, IL - On July 5, 1993, the City of London, England erected the first "permanent" roadblocks on streets leading into the city's financial district. Even though protestors complained about the inconvenience of the checkpoints, and commuters were concerned about traffic congestion, the foresight of the military and police has been proven a necessity. Since that time, literally hundreds of terrorist attacks have taken place in Ireland and Britian.
The crackdown was originally motivated by one of the worst weekends of rioting in Belfast, Northern Ireland that has occurred in recent years. Police recorded more than 1,000 separate incidents and 30 people hurt during the 4th of July weekend. Rioting was originally prompted by an attempt by the Royal Ulster Constabulary to reroute a parade of British loyalist Protestants away from a Catholic district of Western Belfast. It quickly spread and resulted in gun, grenade, and arson attacks against both firefighters and police. That fateful weekend has proved to be the start of "reign of terror" that is unheard of in England since the Irish Republican Army (IRA) riots of 1972.
During the month of August, the rhetoric between British authorities and the political wing of the IRA continued to increase, both in numbers of statements and the intensity of inflammatory debate. Sir John Wheeler, British Security Minister in Northern Ireland, was quoted as claiming that the IRA was being defeated in it's fight to end British rule in the strife-torn Northern end of the island.
Senn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, responded to the statement by saying that it would "escalate it's armed stuggle" against those that would prevent self-rule for the Irish. Unfortunately, since that time, the IRA has proved that is capable of carrying out such threats. Within two days, on August 29th, a small bomb was found inside the recently established security area of London's financial district. Thankfully, it didn't explode, but did demonstrate that the IRA had the ability to strike almost anywhere it chose.
During September, the IRA seemed to concentrate on military targets. September 23rd brought a machinegun attack on a British Army helicopter, as it was taking off from a base in Armagh, near the Ireland border. No injuries were reported, but numerous bullet holes were found in the helicopter. Two men with reported ties to the IRA were taken into custody following the incident. On September 24th, a "command controlled" bomb was detonated as a British security patrol was passing an intersection in Western Belfast. One soldier and six civilians were wounded by shrapnel. Large areas of the countryside were cordoned off by security forces as they searched for the bombers.
Early October brought even greater violence. Two suspected IRA bombs rocked parts of North London on October 8, 1993. One went off in an intersection on Staples Corner Road just before midnight. A second bomb, with more deadly implications, completely destroyed the front of a fire station in the West Hampstead area of London. The blast blew the windows out of several nearby houses and resulted in at least three injuries. These bombings followed a series of smaller explosions in the Finchley Road area that also caused injuries earlier in the week. An anti-terrorist commander, David Tucker, was quoted by the Reuters News Service as saying that these bombings marked "sinister new tactics" on the part of the IRA.
By October 11th, London police were issuing a statement that a total of ten bombings had taken place in or near London during the last ten days. Reportedly, London suburbs had now become the target of IRA bombers. Police speculated that intense security in London's financial district and in the vicinity of Whitehall government offices had caused IRA bombers to move their operations to more remote sights, in hopes of attacking less well secured areas. One counter- terrorist officer said the IRA was targeting London suburbs in hopes of distracting anti-terrorist forces, so that additional attacks could be carried out later against vital targets.
Tuesday, October 12th, was another fateful day for anti- terrorist officers. Reportedly, information from a confidential informant led Scotland Yard officials to a IRA "bomb factory" in Northern London. Officers say that they confiscated enough of the plastic explosive SEMTEX to make as many as twenty (20) explosive devices. Fuses, timing devices, and a handgun were also found in the raid. Three men were arrested during the raid. Derek Doherty - age 23, Gerard Mackin - age 32, and Thomas McAuley - age 37, were all taken into custody and charged with possession of explosives and conspiracy to cause explosions.
By Mid-October, expert observers of the decades-old "troubles" with Northern Ireland said that the current bombing campaign was "only part" of a larger plan to achieve it's objectives of attaining Catholic self-rule in the Northern provinces. They pointed to talks between politican John Hume and Senn Fein, in hopes of demonstrating the possibility of a negotiated settlement. Reportedly, Hume and Senn Fein leader Gerry Adams have both offered to negotiate with Prime Minister John Major in an effort to end the violence. But, counter-terrorist operatives say that the offer of talks has been preceded by greater disorder and may be followed by even greater disturbance if the outcome is not favorable to the IRA. Prime Minister Major said that he would not negotiate with the IRA unless they denounce violence.
October 23rd, 1993 brought a bloody demonstration of the capability of the Provisional IRA to wreck havoc on the unsuspecting Protestants of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The deadliest attack of the past six (6) years was carried out by two men who carried a bomb into a "fish and chips" shop, where it detonated and killed ten (10) people. Reportedly, fifty (50) others were injured by flying debris or buried by collapsing buildings. The IRA acknowledged responsibility for the blast, which it said was aimed at an outlawed Protestant paramilitary organization called the Ulster Defense Association. An IRA source, however, tried to justify the carnage by saying that the bomb had exploded prematurely, before they had an opportunity to warn area residents.
By October 26th, two Protestant gunmen, wearing yellow coveralls and disguised as workmen, took revenge for the fishshop bombing. They burst into a city-operated garbage depot and killed two Roman Catholic garbagemen outright and wounded five (5) others. The Ulster Freedom Fighters, a Protestant right-wing military group, immediately claimed responsibility for the atrocity. Reportedly, they issued a statement saying that this killing was "direct revenge" for the October 23rd bombing in Belfast. Extra police and army troops were dispatched to the area to attempt to head-off additional reprisals, which had been threatened by outraged Protestants. The 27th of the month, however, showed the difficulty of of stopping extremists, bent on revenge.
It was only a mechanical failure that prevented a "sectarian massacre" in a bar frequented by Catholics, in Lisburn, a Southwest suburb of Belfast. According to police sources, a gunman from the Ulster Freedom Fighters attempted to open fire on a crowd of Catholics in a pub when his submachinegun misfired. Customers say that they dived for cover and that the gunman fled after the weapon jammed. Worse, was a similar attack by a masked gunman that took place on Saturday night, October 30th, in a bar near Londonderry. That attack was far more deadly in its effect.
Seven (7) people were killed and another twelve (12) injured when a reputed Ulster Freedom Fighter burst into the Rising Sun Bar near Londonderry and swept the bar with a burst of automatic weapons fire. Reportedly, the gunman fired a long burst, calmly reloaded, and emptied another magazine into the crowded pub. People dropped to the floor, many of them bleeding from gaping wounds caused by the 9mm bullets. Police and ambulances rushed to the scene, but not before the gunman had fufilled his vengence and fled into the foggy Irish night. October ended as one of the bloodiest months in the history of the conflict between Protestants and Catholics, and still no end is in sight.
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