Pupils' tribute to pal Thomas

Stephen Breen
19 March 2006

The grammar school attended by murdered Belfast teenager Thomas Devlin has raised more than £7,000 for a special fund in his honour.

Sunday Life can reveal that £7,200 has been raised by parents, pupils and former pupils of Belfast Royal Academy through donations.

The fund was set up by the school shortly after the schoolboy's brutal murder, but is not part of the Thomas Devlin Fund - established by the murder victim's family, last month.

It's understood the money raised by the school will be used to provide a scholarship in the subjects of music and IT.

The subjects were chosen because they were the murder victim's favourites.

The school's fund was due to close in January, but was kept open by the principal Billy Young because of the number of donations still being made.

Mr Young also confirmed that the school plans to raise cash for the Thomas Devlin Fund with a sponsored walk on April 27.

Said Mr Young: "I am very pleased with the contributions made to the school fund and it's hard to believe they are still coming in.

"We were meant to close the fund at the end of January, but we just had to keep it going and we now have to think about another date.

"The school wanted to do something that helped keep Thomas's name alive and we will be discussing the best means of using the cash with his parents.

"We were thinking about a scholarship because it might help with the future of someone in the school and would be a fitting tribute to Thomas, who was robbed of his future.

"The school is struggling to come to terms with such a terrible loss and we are glad to support the family in any way we can."

Thomas's parents, Jim and Penny, last night praised people for contributing to the school fund.

Said Penny: "We can't thank the people who contributed to the school fund enough. We know the donations will be put to good use.

"We established our own fund but it's great to see the school doing all they can to remember Thomas because he represented the future of this society.

"The support we have received has been tremendous and it will help my family as we attempt to come terms with the loss of our son.

"We have established the fund to celebrate his life but people should also remember that the Sunday Life £10,000 reward is still in place to help get his killers off the streets."

A 22-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman arrested in connection with the killing were released on Friday pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.

Sunday Life

Alan Murray
19 March 2006

The DUP have responded angrily to Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern suggestion that Dublin and London would take "the tiller of power" in Northern Ireland if local parties can't agree on power-sharing.

Peter Robinson last night claimed Mr Ahern's bid to push unionists towards a deal on an Assembly were "ill-judged" and "foolish".

Mr Ahern said that in the absence of agreement between local politicians over an Assembly the two governments would have to "step in" and make an "inter-govenmental approach" to decisions.

"It's probably not the preferred option," said Mr Ahern in an interview.

"We would far rather that people from Northern Ireland have their hand on the tiller of power but if they decide not to want that then the two Governments would have to step in and take decisions and people from Northern Ireland and their representatives won't really have any great say in that respect and that is unfortunate."

With the two Governments expected to produce a revised 'blueprint' for future political development in three weeks time, Mr Ahern's remarks are being interpreted as an indication of the outline of proposals being considered by Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair.

But Peter Robinson, the DUP deputy leader, warned Mr Ahern that his comments wouldn't assist in establishing secure political structures here.

"These are ill judged remarks from the Irish Foreign Minister.

"He says he is trying to push the process forward, so for his Government to attempt to tell Unionists what to do, or else, is foolish.

"He and Bertie Ahern are hardly in a strong position to recommend that unionists should embrace arrangements for government with Sinn Fein that they themselves won't touch.

"It's the Irish Government that has been telling Sinn Fein that it isn't fit for Government in the Republic and telling Gerry Adams that his party can forget about any coalition with Fianna Fail," added Mr Robinson.

Sunday Life

19 March 2006

An IRA man was allowed to send bomb-making technology from America in 1993 even though MI5 and the FBI monitored him buying and posting the equipment.

The allegation, by a former agent who uses the pseudonym Kevin Fulton, is highly embarrassing to MI5, which has recently been accused of failing to pass on a warning to the RUC that the Real IRA planned to bomb Omagh in 1998.

Former Army agent Fulton, who infiltrated the IRA in 1981 after serving in the UDR, claims in a book to be published next month that MI5 sent him to New York to buy coded infra red flash units which were used to detonate bombs by remote control.

In his book Unsung Hero, he claims an MI5 officer travelled ahead of him on Concorde to arrange with the FBI to allow him and another IRA man to rendezvous and carry out the purchase of the infra red units, which military jamming devices couldn't block out.

Fulton's IRA accomplice, who came from Kilkeel, broke his cover to meet him and days later successfully completed the purchase of the units and posted them to the Republic.

In his book, Fulton claims he began to do 'specialist work' for MI5 from 1991 and met a senior FBI agent in New York in 1993 who set up a surveillance operation to record a meeting between Fulton and the Kilkeel Provo, who had evaded FBI surveillance and gone to ground.

The meeting at the Murray Hill Inn was filmed and the Kilkeel man was successfully tailed and tracked down to an address in the city.

It's also understood the FBI and MI5 allowed the Kilkeel man to purchase the flash units and post them to Ireland before approaching him and pressurising him to become an FBI informant.

When he refused to become an agent he was arrested and held in the New York Detention Centre until after the IRA declared a ceasefire in September, 1994.

Fulton was given money by the brother of a well-known IRA leader in the border area to go to America to purchase a quantity of the infra red flashes.

It's not clear why MI5 wanted to assist the IRA to buy the coded flash units or why the FBI allowed the devices to reach Ireland.

Sunday Life

Stephen Breen
19 March 2006

The priest who witnessed IRA decommissioning is set to mediate in the bitter feud between two west Belfast families.

Senior sources told Sunday Life that community leaders in the Ballymurphy area have made an approach to Fr Alex Reid in a bid to end ongoing tensions between the Devlin and Notorantonio families.

Fr Reid, who last year apologised after controversially likening unionists to Nazis, helped end the violent feud between the INLA and the IPLO in 1987.

And it is hoped he will meet with representatives from the rival factions in Ballymurphy over the coming weeks.

Since the murder of Gerard Devlin last month, there has been a series of shootings, petrol bombings and arson attacks.

Tensions remain high in the west Belfast estate and fears are growing that lives could be lost.

Local community leaders and politicians have failed to bring the feuding families together and are becoming increasingly concerned at the recent spate of tit-for-tat attacks.

But they are hoping Fr Reid, who also helped end feuds between the Provisional and Official IRA in the 1970s, can bring the feud to an end.

Said a source: "Fr Reid has been approached and is only to happy to do his best to help end tensions in the Ballymurphy area.

"He is someone who is well respected by everyone in west Belfast and he has a wealth of experience in bringing rival factions round the table.

"He has met with one of the families and he is now going to put his plan to the other family in the hope they can come to some sort of solution.

"Many people feel the situation will get worse unless the problems between the two families are sorted out once and for all."

Victor Notorantonio, whose relatives' homes have been petrol bombed, confirmed that Fr Reid was attempting to end tensions.

Said Mr Notorantonio: "I have already met Fr Reid and he has spoken to me about meeting representatives of the Devlin family.

"I would have no problem doing this and I'm now waiting for him to get back to me. I'm pleased he's got involved because nobody else seems to be doing anything about it.

"Fr Reid is highly respected and if he can help end the attacks against my family then I would welcome his input."

"Everybody says this is a family feud but it's not. The IRA is doing this and they could put a stop to these attacks at the drop of a hat."

No-one from the Devlin family was available for comment.

BBC ON THIS DAY

20 March 1989

Two senior RUC officers negotiating cross-border security co-operation in south Armagh have been ambushed and shot dead by the IRA.

Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Bob Buchanan are the most senior policemen to be killed since the troubles began.

They were returning from a meeting with the Gardai Siochana in the Irish Republic where they had been discussing a range of issues including ways of combating IRA attacks on the cross-border rail link.

The officers left a police station at Dundalk, Republic of Ireland, at about 1500 GMT and turned off the main Dublin-to-Belfast road, taking a detour outside the town back to Northern Ireland.

There are unconfirmed reports the men were travelling out of uniform in an unmarked, private vehicle, without protection, but for security reasons there were several routes open to them.

As they approached a country border crossing outside the small village of Jonesborough, County Armagh, along Edenappa Road, gunmen, lying in wait for them behind a wall, opened fire.

The IRA's South Armagh brigade said it had ambushed the men after monitoring their movements and would issue a more detailed statement later.

Leak

Although the RUC held regular Monday meetings they did not normally include Mr Breen, leading to suggestions the IRA kept a close watch on the station or received inside information.

Security sources are dismissing claims of a leak because only senior Gardai officers would have been aware of the officers' presence at the meeting.

But it would have been easy to tail the car, belonging to Mr Buchanan as it had Northern Irish number plates.

An army helicopter has been surveying the area but troops will not recover the bodies until tomorrow morning.

There are fears the area maybe booby trapped, with bombs concealed in derelict buildings at the scene of the murders.

A total of 260 police officers have been killed in 28 years of violence, 38 of them in South Armagh.

In Context

Chief Superintendant Breen, who commanded most of south Armagh, was the highest-ranking member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to be killed by the IRA.

He and Supt Buchanan left behind two children each.

Security documents were stolen from the car and there are many who insist the IRA would not have known the men's whereabouts without a mole inside the Gardai.

But the RUC and the Gardai Siochana insist they must have been spotted in Dundalk by IRA members.

Their murders are among several controversial cases currently being investigated to determine if there should be a public inquiry.

The British and Irish Governments want to investigate killings involving allegations of collusion by the security forces with paramilitaries on both sides of the Irish border.

BBC ON THIS DAY


Tim Parry, 12 and and Johnathan Ball, 3 lost their lives in the blasts

>>>Children for Peace website

20 March 1993

Child killed in Warrington bomb attack



A young boy has died and at least 50 people have been injured in two bomb blasts close to the heart of a busy shopping centre.

Emergency services said the dead boy is believed to be four-years-old.

Another older boy suffered grave injuries when two bombs, hidden in dustbins, exploded in Warrington, Cheshire.

Twelve of the injured have been hurt "very seriously" as eyewitnesses said the first explosion drove panicking shoppers into the path of the next blast just seconds later.

'Huge hand grenades'

The explosions shattered the Golden Square shopping mall in Bridge Street just after 1212 GMT.

The mall was packed with shoppers brought out by the warm spring weather ahead of Mother's Day tomorrow.

The bombs went off in Bridge Street, the first is understood to have been outside a British Gas showroom and the second went off near Argos, the catalogue store.

Police said the bombs had been planted in separate cast-iron litter bins which had the effect of turning them into huge hand grenades.

Eyewitnesses have reported many casualties, some are understood to have lost limbs.

Buses are being organised to ferry people away from the scene and 20 paramedics, some on motorcycles, have been sent to administer on the spot treatment.

Crews from 17 ambulances are dealing with casualties and it is understood a team of four plastic surgeons are travelling to Warrington General Hospital from the regional burns unit at Whiston hospital, Knowsley, six miles away.

Police said a coded warning was made to the Samaritans at 1158 about a bomb outside a Boots chemist shop in Liverpool but the bombs went off near Boots in Warrington, 16 miles to the east.

There was no time to evacuate the area after Merseyside police informed the Cheshire force of the warning.

No organisation has admitted carrying out the attack but the IRA has not been ruled out.

Bombers struck in Warrington only last month, when a gasworks was blown up, but with no injuries.

In Context

Johnathan Ball, three, died in the blasts when he was in town with his babysitter buying a Mother's Day Card.

Tim Parry, 12, was caught in the full force of the blast and died five days later in hospital.

The atrocity also left 56 people injured in the blasts which the IRA admitted carrying out.

Tim's parents Colin and Wendy Parry campaigned to build a peace centre and they helped set up a peace initiative within months of the explosion.

On the seventh anniversary of the atrocity the Tim Parry-Johnathan Ball Young People's Centre was opened.

It is run by the NSPCC and the Tim Parry-Johnathan Ball Trust and includes residential accommodation for visiting groups from Ireland and around the world, an IT suite, cafe areas and sports facilities.

It also houses the NSPCC's regional headquarters with a helpline and drop-in centre.

The Blanket




Former Hunger Striker Frank O'Neill led a commemoration for the 1981 Long Kesh Hunger Strikes in last Saturday's St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Chicago.

Deirdre Fennessy • 18 March 2006


Click on photo to read article


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BBC


Humphrey wandered into Number 10 in 1989

The 10 Downing Street cat Humphrey has died, a spokesman for the prime minister has confirmed.

The black and white feline passed away at the home of a Cabinet Office worker who took him when he "retired".

Humphrey was adopted by Number 10 after wandering into the building as a stray while Margaret Thatcher was PM in 1989.

He moved out six months after Labour's 1997 general election win, with Tony Blair's wife Cherie denying reports her dislike for the animal was to blame.

"I can confirm we have been told that Humphrey sadly died last week some time," a Downing Street spokesman said.

'Chief Mouser'

Official questions were asked in the House of Commons about Humphrey's absence after his departure from Downing Street in 1997.

A Conservative MP demanded proof that the moggy - sometimes given the nickname Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office - was still alive.

Downing Street said Humphrey had been suffering from a kidney complaint.

The media was later invited to a South London property, where Humphrey was photographed, hostage-style, with copies of the day's newspapers.

He had also gone missing while John Major was in Downing Street.

At the time it was thought he had died.

But he returned after staff at a Westminster medical college read his obituary and realised the cat that had made his way into their building was, in fact, Humphrey.

BBC

The Belfast Education and Library Board is to discuss what services must be cut to make up its £6.5m budget shortfall.

The board had been asked to make the cuts at an earlier meeting but had refused until they had a chance to talk to Education Minister Angela Smith.

Speaking ahead of Monday's meeting, BELB chairman Jim Rodgers said the minister had since told them the shortfall must still be met.

He said she had been "understanding" but "there was no more money".

Areas which could face cuts include the budget for special needs, with possible redundancies and unit closures.

Other targets could also include crossing patrols, an increase in school meal costs and job losses at Belfast School of Music.

Mr Rodgers said it was "not going to be easy" to address the budget shortfall.

"It's entirely up to the members, on the advice of our officers, what we do today, and hopefully we can make things as easy as possible," he said.

"But the reality is, regardless of what the department tells you, we do not have enough money going into education in Northern Ireland, nevermind the city of Belfast. It has got to be addressed."
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Irelandclick

A special 25th anniversary Mass remembers sacrifice of hunger strikers

by Laura McDaid

There were emotional scenes at Clonard Monastery on Sunday as the H-Block hunger strikers were remembered at a special Mass.

Relatives and friends of those who died gathered for the afternoon ceremony to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the hunger strike.

In a touching homily, Fr Gerry Reynolds acknowledged the suffering of those who lost loved ones in the 1981 hunger strike.

“Maybe it’s a son, a brother, a best friend or a comrade in the armed struggle, now thankfully part of history.

“Whatever the relationship, the sense of loss and the heartache does not go away.”

Emphasising the need for forgiveness, Fr Reynolds said, “We pray today for the healing of the wounds of our history - particularly those arising from the hunger strike.

“Perhaps you are bitter over the wrongs you've suffered, and so need the divine power to forgive those who hurt you.

“There is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven.
“A time for keeping silent, a time for speaking, a time for fighting, a time for peace.”

Speaking after the Mass, the father of Andersonstown man Kieran Doherty, who died on August 2, 1981, said it was an emotional, but necessary, day.

“It certainly brings it all back,” said Alfie Doherty.

“My wife was very upset this morning.

“It’s 25 years, but it just seems like yesterday.”

Recalling the events leading up to Kieran’s death in the H-Block, Mr Doherty explained: “I was beside him in Long Kesh 16 nights and my wife was with him 16 days before he died.

“Prison wardens let us in when he looked like he was about to die, but he lasted 73 painful days. On the last day, they kept us out. I’ll never forget it.”

Oliver Hughes, brother of Derry man Francis Hughes, who died on May 12, 1981, said a memorabilia display arranged by the Greater Clonard Ex-prisoners’ Association brought back a lot of painful memories.

“It’s all so vivid when you see the newspaper clippings, but it’s very touching and commendable that this has been arranged.

“It’s also lovely to see families that I haven’t seen in 25 years – families who were such a source of comfort and support in 1981.

“And it’s very important that we have these days so that history isn’t forgotten and a new generation can understand why this happened.”

Following the Mass, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness made a presentation of bronze statues to the families of those who lost their loved ones through the hunger strike.

Addressing the relatives, he commended the courage of those who died for the republican cause.

“Their star burns brighter every year as Margaret Thatcher’s star dims.
“What these hunger strikers achieved we should always be proud of.

“These men stood up and fought for our rights and they made a difference to our lives.

“The primary objective of the hunger strikers remains the primary objective of republicanism today – ending British rule in Ireland.”

Journalist:: Laura McDaid

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Irelandclick

by Damian McCarney

Figures released last week show that West Belfast primary schools have the second highest number of empty chairs in the North.

There are 3,450 surplus places in primary schools in the West of the city, which accounts for almost 10 per cent of 33,600 unfilled places across the North. The only parliamentary constituency area with more unfilled spaces is North Belfast, which has 3,500.

Falling pupil figures have left some of West Belfast’s 34 primary schools in a perilous position as direct rule ministers have in recent years pressed for cuts to education budgets.

If primary schools were to close or amalgamate with nearby schools it would result in substantial numbers of teacher redundancies.

Sinn Féin education spokesperson Michael Ferguson said that smaller class sizes should be used to improve levels of teaching, rather than an excuse to close schools.

“Falling rolls should not be used as an excuse to close schools and reduce services.

“They should be used to provide better teacher and pupil ratios, better mainstream special needs services, and to improve numeracy and literacy deficits.

“By closing schools they would result in much larger classes, and already, in one specific instance in a West Belfast primary school, there is a class with 29 children, 17 of whom have special needs,” said Mr Ferguson.

Referring to the situation regarding surplus places across the North, a Department of Education spokesperson said, “Secretary of State Peter Hain has recently announced a strategic review of education, which will be led by Sir George Bain and which will examine the funding of the education system, in particular the strategic planning and organisation of the school estate, taking account of curriculum changes and demographic trends.”

Journalist:: Damien McCarney

Irelandclick

by Laura McDaid

Sinn Féin councillors will join youth workers and NIPSA representatives outside the BELB headquarters today in a protest against another round of cuts.

The party’s education spokesperson, Michael Ferguson, will join Councillor Tom Hartley and youth worker Stephen Hughes in a protest that aims to send a clear message to the board as they decide what form the cuts should take.

Commenting upon the protest, Michael Ferguson said, “Sinn Féin’s chairperson of the BELB’s finance committee, Councillor Tom Hartley, will be opposing the recommended cuts by the board’s finance staff.

“We are calling on the representatives from all political parties to oppose these cuts.”

Proposals before the BELB include cutting youth services to deprived areas in West and North Belfast, where high levels of suicide and self-harm exist.
Representatives of the Community Youth Workers Union will join the protest in a cross-community show of opposition to the cuts.

“It is therefore crucial that we stand united against Direct Rule Ministers who are eroding the educational entitlement of our children and young people before our very eyes,” said Cllr Ferguson.

“On Thursday last the SEELB announced proposals to cut £7.3m which will see the loss of over 140 teachers to add to the loss of 110 in Belfast.

“The consequence of the current funding strategy is leading to greater class sizes, less support for special needs children and the worst crisis the education system here has ever faced.

“Sinn Féin calls upon anyone prepared to do the British government’s dirty work to do so publicly instead of hiding in committee behind closed doors.”

Journalist:: Laura McDaid

Belfast Telegraph

By Noel McAdam
20 March 2006

Sinn Fein and the SDLP have attempted to heap pressure on the DUP after Taoiseach Bertie Ahern insisted the two governments intend to "finalise" the devolution issue this year.

And he said it was time for Secretary of State Peter Hain to remind "these foreign meddlers" that internal affairs in Northern Ireland are "solely the concern" of the political parties and British Government.

The Taoiseach said, however, the failure to bring devolution to a conclusion had been a major theme in meetings in the United States and warned "going on indefinitely" would damage the credibility of the governments.

"At the end of the day the question is are people sincerely and genuinely interested in power sharing or are they not and that question will have to be answered this year," he told the BBC Politics Show.

"We are going to finalise this in 2006," he added, indicating that an Assembly in 'shadow' form without an Executive for a period was "possible".

His remarks came as the two governments worked on proposals for the restoration of the Assembly, which it is believed they want to put to the parties before the next Good Friday - the eighth anniversary of the Agreement.

Sinn Fein negotiator Martin McGuinness argued it was increasingly clear the DUP was becoming isolated "on many matters".

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said: "We have repeatedly stressed that the governments needed to stop sending the signal that the DUP are in control of the political calendar. We have been concerned that the governments would allow things to drift until a time and terms that suited the DUP."

A Northern Ireland man has gone on trial on charges of attempted murder over an IRA bomb attack on a British army base in Germany in 1989.

Leonard Joseph Hardy, 45, from Antrim, is also charged with deliberately causing an explosion at Quebec barracks in Osnabruck.

Mr Hardy was arrested last August in the Spanish resort of Torremolinos and extradited to Germany in January.

No-one was injured in the attack on the British army base in June 1989.

The trial is taking place in a state court in the central town of Celle.

German prosecutors claimed he was one of at least five IRA members that planned to place the bombs around the base.

They said the suspects were disturbed by a workman at the base, meaning only one bomb went off, causing damage put at £75,000.

Four people implicated in the attack were convicted of attempted murder in Germany in 1995 and jailed for between nine and 12 years.

BBC

The Belfast Education and Library Board has refused to make cuts of £6.6m to its budget.

Twenty of the board's 35 members rejected the proposal, whilst five abstained. It is the second time the board has refused to implement cuts.

Two weeks ago it voted to ask Education Minister Angela Smith for more money but she said no more was on offer.

Board chairman Jim Rodgers said members felt they "could not carry out the government's dirty work".

"The Belfast board area has suffered a reduction in funding of £18m from 2004 to 2007 and the current level of expenditure on frontline services - which have been protected in the past - is no longer sustainable," he said.

"It is the government's responsibility to provide adequate funding for education in Belfast so the board can continue to provide a quality service to the young people of this city."

UUP assembly members Michael McGimpsey and Fred Cobain accused the government of "rank hypocrisy".

"While Labour direct-rule ministers try to make swingeing cuts in education here, their prime minister is talking up education and the need to give children a future," they said in a joint statement.

'Clear message'

"Tackling the educational disadvantages faced by many inner city children from deprived areas must be a priority for any government, whether devolved or direct rule.

"You cannot on the one hand talk up education while on the other make drastic cuts that will have a direct negative effect on children and parents."

The SDLP's Tim Attwood said the board had sent a clear message to the Ms Smith.

"Your government promised to make the education of the nation's children their "first priority"," he said.

"The direct rule ministers need to live up to this promise and properly invest in education."

Sinn Fein's Michael Ferguson urged the South Eastern Education and Library Board to do the same as the Belfast board.

"It is crucial that everyone unites against the erosion of the education system by British direct rule ministers," he said.

"The sooner we put the assembly back, the sooner we will have a local accountable minister with a real budget to support education and learning".

The board has until Thursday to come up with a financial plan for 2006-2007.

Its chief finance officer warned board members could end up not being able to pay salaries and bills.