Posted by Jim on September 16, 2017
There have been protests against the planned use of a paid informer in
the non-jury trial of republican political activist Kevin Braney, the
chairperson of Saoradh in Dublin.
Mr Braney was brought before a sitting of the Special Criminal Court
last month on foot of accusations made against him by ‘supergrass’ Dave
Cullen. Cullen had a murder charge against him dropped by the state
after he agreed to give evidence against republicans.
Mr Braney has previously spent two years on remand on two previous
charges of IRA membership, which were ultimately dropped. Prosecutors
have said they are now seeking a trial before a non-jury court because
“the ordinary courts are inadequate for effective administration of
justice”.
This week, the juryless court heard that in response to being arrested
and charged by the Gardai, Mr Braney denounced the charge as
politically motivated and demanded a fair trial.
As he was being led away, he and supporters shouted “end supergrass
trials”.
Separately, republican prisoners at Portlaoise jail flew a protest flag
out of their cells in a demonstration against the judicial abuses.
In a statement released to the media, Mr Braney said the combination of
a juryless trial and a paid informer made it impossible to prove his
innocence.
He said his family and friends had endured Garda harassment, abuse,
threats, and attempts to set him up.
He also described the years he has already spent or remand as amounting
to internment. After a further six weeks behind bars on remand this
year, he was informed by his lawyer that charges were now being
prompted by the word of the ‘supergrass’ Dave Cullen.
“He [Cullen] has since entered the witness protection programme, in
doing so abandoning his children and family, and is in receipt of
monthly payments,” Mr Braney said.
“Throughout the 1980’s, the British government used ‘supergrass’
evidence extensively against republicans, but all of those cases
ultimately failed when scrutinised by international observers and human
right activists.
“Difficult and all as it is for me or any republican to prove innocence
in the non-jury ‘Special Criminal Court’, it becomes nigh on impossible
when you add a paid perjurer/supergrass to the mix.
“I call upon all republicans and anybody interested in human rights and
natural justice to publically oppose this sinister development.”
The 1916 Societies condemned the use of the “long discredited”
supergrass tactic in the 26 Counties as a means to target and imprison
Irish republicans “without meaningful evidence or due process”.
“We call on those who have set in place this reactionary policy – which
is a fundamental, grotesque violation of the right to a fair trial – to
desist at once,” they said.
“We call for all charges against those concerned to be dropped
forthwith and for those currently imprisoned on the say-so of a paid
agent of the state, Dave Cullen, to be released without further ado.
“To those effected by these reprehensible measures, we extend our
solidarity and support. We call also at this time on republicans and
progressives to join in our opposition to this frightening development,
which is a cause of concern for us all as to the future direction our
society is set toward.”
Posted by Jim on
Using a long-standing cover name, loyalist paramilitaries in the UVF
have sought to be legalised in a plan which has brought anger and
incredulity to its victims.
Using the name of the Red Hand Commando, a group of loyalist
paramilitary figures announced that they had travelled to London last
Wednesday to petition the authorities there to be de-proscribed
(legalised).
The British government has said it is considering the application, which
may be related to the group’s attempt to secure ‘peace fund’ payments as
a community group.
In a statement, the organisation sai they “hope that this course being
taken by the Red Hand Commando can lay out a road map for the
transformation of loyalist groups in general.”
The RHC is normally considered to be synonymous with the UVF. Over the
course of the conflict, the murders of twelve innocent civilians have
been directly claimed under the name.
Alan Brecknell, who was seven-years-old when his father, Trevor, was
killed in a no-warning gun and bomb attack on Donnelly’s Bar in County
Armagh, said he could not understand the motivation for the move.
Mr Brecknell said while it was “of course good that loyalists say they
are committed to peace and community development, I cannot understand
why they want to use the name Red Hand Commando.
“Why would a community worker want to call themselves a ‘commando’ of
any kind?
“Every time bereaved families hear the term ‘Red Hand Commando’ it
reminds them of the decades of pain and grief they have suffered. Why
not leave it in the past where, they say, it belongs?”, he added.
Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice said: “It is absolutely
scandalous and adds insult to injury of the hundreds of victims of RHC
and UVF.
“The silence from political unionism about this terrorist organisation
stands in stark contrast to their position on republican actors”, he
added.
Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly said any move to legalise the Red Hand Commando
was “ludicrous”.
“How, and more importantly why, would you have a paramilitary
organisation working as a community group? And what does that say to the
victims of this organisation if their status and their activities is to
be somehow legitimised? I am sure victims would find that abhorrent.”
Mr Kelly said the organisation was created as part of the UVF, which, he
said, was still involved in drug dealing and murder. This week, tens of
thousands of pounds in cash raised from drugs sales linked to the
organisation in north Belfast were seized by the PSNI police.
On Monday, the UVF was also blamed for an attack in Larne in which shots
were fired through a bedroom where three children were sleeping. Four
shots were fired at a family home as part of ongoing disorder in the
town. Two masked men armed with shotguns also hijacked a car.
In recent months several properties and vehicles in the Larne area have
been targeted in arson attacks as part of a UVF-related feud. Two cars
were gutted in a blaze at a house at around 3am on Sunday.
Prominent Belfast victims campaigner Raymond McCord implored the British
Direct Ruler James Brokenshire not to lift the ban on the RHC. He said
the loyalist grouping represented “gangsters” who should disband.
“They are not a community organisation, they represent no one except
themselves, they are still involved in crime,” he said.
Posted by Jim on September 13, 2017
Dominic McSherry.Letters to Editor. Irish News. Belfast.Wednesday, September 13, 2017
It is looking increasingly likely that the DUP, at least in the short-term, is focused on indirectly wielding power in Northern Ireland through the Tory Committee established to administer their supply and demand payoff. This conveniently circumvents the need to work with Nationalists/Republicans on an equal footing in Northern Ireland, something John Taylor recently remarked was not necessary while Unionism remained in the majority. In a sense this is old-style Unionism writ large, simply ignoring the wishes of the large minority in Northern Ireland, and in that sense is deeply disturbing. This harks back to the good old days of Ulster Unionism, when Nationalists knew their place, and everything was as it should be. But it wasn’t, and we’ve 30 years of violent political conflict to evidence that perspective.
The central problem historically for Northern nationalists has been about consent. They did not give their consent to be locked into a British state in 1921, with a predetermined Unionist majority that thwarted any possibility of political change, and which treated them, as John Taylor alluded to, as lesser than [equals]. They did not give their consent to be absented from representation in Dáil Éireann, and instead ruled by an Orange political elite, at the acquiescence of London. Effectively, they were being ruled against their wishes. This type of political sterility was fertile ground for a philosophy that sees the use of violence as the only means to resist political oppression. The emergent IRA saw this as the only solution, as did the ANC.
However, for Northern Ireland hope arrived in 1998 in the form of the Good Friday Agreement, that had at its core the principle of power sharing between Unionism and Nationalism, centered on equality and parity of esteem. This was voted on by the people of Ireland and for the first time in history a political architecture was consented to by Nationalism/Republicanism in The North. This consent is now absent again and this is very concerning.
They say that if you do not learn the lessons of history, then you risk repeating them. So, my advice to the British government and political Unionism is to be extremely careful at this juncture in our shared history. The failure to resurrect the political institutions and the return to some form of direct rule, will mean that hundreds of thousands of Nationalist/Republicans in Northern Ireland will be ruled against their wishes again.
In a sense Northern Ireland will simply revert to being a colony without its own political institutions and being ruled from a distance by the dominant power. This needs to be avoided at all costs, lest the stench of the cesspit starts to rise again.
Posted by Jim on
Huh 7thSeptember 13th
LT MICHAEL J. VECSI (LADDER 122) MEMORIAL MASS
On Thursday, September 14th at 0900 hours, a memorial mass will be held honoring the memory of Lieutenant Michael J. Vecsi, L-122, who died on September 14, 2014. The mass will take place at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 4055 Victory Blvd., Staten Island, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
AFRICAN AMERICAN DAY PARADE
On Sunday, September 17th , permission is granted for off-duty members to participate in the 2017 African American Day Parade. Participating members of the Department should assemble on W. 112th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. and St. Nicholas Avenue, NY at 1200 hours. Dress uniform, including white gloves shall be worn. For further information call the FDNY Vulcan Society at 917-570-9017 or FDNY Office of Community Affairs at 718-999-8112.
FF JOHN P. HANNON 20TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL GAELIC FOOTBALL GAMES
Sunday, October 1st at 1pm. Paddy’s Field, Woodlawn, Bronx. For more info call Pete Hannon, Engine 95, 917-640-1032.
LT CRUZ ANTONIO FERNANDEZ (LADDER 111) PLAQUE DEDICATION
On Monday, October 2nd at 1130 hours, a plaque dedication will be held honoring the memory of
Lieutenant Cruz Antonio Fernandez, L-111, who died on July 14, 2006. The dedication will take place in the quarters of E-214 and L-111, 495 Hancock St., Brooklyn, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
FF JAMES M. DUNN (LADDER 114) PLAQUE DEDICATION
On Friday, October 6th at 1130 hours, a plaque dedication will be held honoring the memory of
Firefighter James M. Dunn, L-114, who died on September 6, 2016. The dedication will take place in the quarters of E-201/ L-114 and B-40, 5113 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. All off-duty members and their families are invited to attend. Members are requested to attend in dress uniform.
FDNY FIRE MUSEUM FUNDRAISING COOK-OFF
The NYC Fire Museum will once again be hosting the annual FDNY Cook-off Fundraiser. Members wishing to enter the contest with a signature dish that will be judged by three celebrity chefs should contact Noemi Bourdier at the NYC Fire Museum at nbourdier@nycfiremuseum.org (212) 691-1303 x11. The event is open to all Fire/EMS members and will be held on the evening of Thursday, November 2nd in the Museum at 278 Spring Street, Manhattan.
Posted by Jim on September 11, 2017
Allison Morris. Irish News. Belfast. September 11, 2017
The grand secretary of the Orange Order says loyalists considered building bonfires on ever street corner in response to the legal challenge to pyres on council land in July.
However, the Rev Mervyn Gibson says the decision not to proceed with the protest “reflected well” on his community.
Rev Gibson praised elements within loyalism who helped calm tensions around the July period following a Belfast City Council injunction against four bonfires in Belfast.
At first there were concerns that the injunctions, aimed at controlling bonfires being built on council land, would spark violence among hard line loyalists in the area.
However, the senior Orangeman said the way the situation was handled “reflected well” on the community.
“At one point there was talk of a bonfire on every street corner, that was considered, thankfully they didn’t do that but you can see how it could have ended up,” he said.
“It’s how the court order is interpreted next year that worries me, in that people will now be looking to bring this in across other parts of the province, if that happens they’ll not stop bonfires people will just move it off council property.
“We suggested a few years ago, and I think they’re looking at it now in a couple of places, about a green area making it a bonfire site that could be used at Christmas and other times of the year to hold community events.
“If it’s a site for community use and there were three or for other uses during the year I think that would work.
“I would never disown bonfires, I loved them when I was growing up and they meant as much to me personally then as they do to those young lads now.
“So, it could have easily turned nasty and it didn’t, that was a good thing and reflected well on that community”, Rev Gibson added.