Two British soldiers shot dead in Antrim..

[holidaysong]

Two British soldiers were shot dead and four other people seriously injured during an attack on a British Army base in Antrim town last night.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for the killings, but the attack at the Massereene Barracks is being linked to dissident republicans.

The attack began shortly before 10pm as pizzas from a local business were being delivered

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0308/massereene.html


It was only a matter of time before dissident republicans did something like this to try and destroy the peace process. Sinn Féin have been quick to condemn the attack and encourage people to work with the PSNI to catch the people who did it. Hopefully this incident doesn't derail things.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Real IRA have claimed responsibility.

Brave patriots striking a decisive blow that brings Irish freedom and unity ever closer. :rolleyes:

****ing morons. :mad:

Condolences to the bereaved and speedy recovery to the injured.

[Red&White Rover]

Wonder what will happen next...

[holidaysong]

I just seen on BBC News that the headline on tomorrow's Sun (UK) reads 'Executed by IRA Cowards'.

[RonnieB]

Here we go again. I really hope it isnt the start of a return to the bull**** of the past.

[pete]

Cowardly attack that seemed to use pizza delivery guys as distraction. Brave patriots indeed. Pointless murder which will achieve absolutely nothing. :(

The IRA & Sinn Fein members by extension must have an idea who is involved. They surely know who uns the RIRA as presumably they were in the IRA at some stage before breaking away.

[ArdeeBhoy]

At this stage, we should be 'grateful' these fools didn't shoot up a loyalist drinking den, for instance.

The fallout then, wouldn't bear thinking about....

Just hope this is a freak blip?

[Dodge]

The RIRA statement is just plain bizarre. The justification for killing 2 pizza delivery guys as they were "collaborating with British rule by servicing British soldiers" is so outrageous it'd be funny if 2 people hadn't have been murdered.

Worrying times...

[holidaysong]

The IRA & Sinn Fein members by extension must have an idea who is involved. They surely know who uns the RIRA as presumably they were in the IRA at some stage before breaking away.

The previous head of the RIRA was Michael McKevitt from Dundalk who is currently in prison here in the South. He is an ex-Provo. However, he and other leaders were expelled when they tried to get the group to stand down like the PIRA had done.

Having said that, like you say Pete, whoever took over the running of the group and is currently in charge won't have just come from nowhere and are bound to have been in the PIRA before the split. People like McGuinness and Adams are sure to know who these guys are even if they don't know who the actual attackers are.

[dortie]

The RIRA statement is just plain bizarre. The justification for killing 2 pizza delivery guys as they were "collaborating with British rule by servicing British soldiers"
...

Where have you been this past 30 years, Adams and McGuinness supported armed struggle when they tied Catholic kitchen chefs into cars and drove them into checkpoints for making the Brits their dinner. There is no change in Republican thinking in regards to civilian workers for the Crown forces, its just the likes of Adams would have you believe things were so different back then. For militant republicans the only thing that has changed is former republicans are now administering British rule in a Northern Irish assembly when down the road sits a British Army barracks.

Just stating some facts, not giving an opinion.

[Dodge]

A PSNI officer shot dead this evening

*shudder*

[Dunny]

A PSNI officer shot dead this evening

*shudder*

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7933990.stm

[SolitudeRed]

This is grim news indeed lets just hope there is no more killings and no retaliation from loyalists which could lead to things spiralling into a tit for tat spate of killings. I remember the last few years of the troubles but this stuff happening now is a lot more worrying due to the fact that it could derail the process that has been made.

[JerseyRed]

Another worrying development. Here's hoping for all to keep cool heads.

[Pauro 76]

Worrying times ahead, this is the last thing we need. The actions of the RIRA have been mindlessly shocking and cowardly...

[holidaysong]

Dissident republicans are just longing for a Loyalist response. They didn't get it over the weekend, hopefully they don't get it tonight..


A PSNI officer shot dead this evening

*shudder*

The Continuity IRA have claimed responsibility.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7934426.stm

[Pike B]

Disgraceful attack.
Totally and utterly disgusting people did this.
God bless the families of the victims.

[holidaysong]

I'm just watching Prime Minister's Questions on BBC - the British just don't get it do they..? Britain this, our country that. The dissidents lap up the kind of language they are using.. It is this kind of language that gives support to the extremes. Just look at how Scottish nationalism is on the rise at the same time as Gordon Brown espouses the UK as 'one country' and British as a 'national identity'..

[Thunderblaster]

Interesting to note that the attackers were described as traitors of Ireland by Martin McGuinness. If these guys wants to bring back the Troubles, they are making a grave mistake. How dare they murder in our name.

[dahamsta]

I don't think they'll succeed. There's almost zero popular support for terrorism in Ireland at this stage, and that's the only thing that allowed the IRA to continue so long.

[TheBoss]

I'm just watching Prime Minister's Questions on BBC - the British just don't get it do they..? Britain this, our country that. The dissidents lap up the kind of language they are using.. It is this kind of language that gives support to the extremes. Just look at how Scottish nationalism is on the rise at the same time as Gordon Brown espouses the UK as 'one country' and British as a 'national identity'..

But he is right, United Kingdom is a country, Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland are not nations, they are part of the one identity. They are just areas, like the provinces in Ireland.

[pete]

I'm just watching Prime Minister's Questions on BBC - the British just don't get it do they..? Britain this, our country that. The dissidents lap up the kind of language they are using.. It is this kind of language that gives support to the extremes. Just look at how Scottish nationalism is on the rise at the same time as Gordon Brown espouses the UK as 'one country' and British as a 'national identity'..

Do words force someone to murder? Does it make any difference to you?

[holidaysong]

But he is right, United Kingdom is a country, Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland are not nations, they are part of the one identity. They are just areas, like the provinces in Ireland.

Wrong. Most people living in Wales, Scotland and England have their own national identity rather than a British one. Search Google for Moreno scale data on national identities for each of these countries for evidence of this.


Do words force someone to murder? Does it make any difference to you?

Of course words don't force someone to murder but ignoring minority identities alienates the people in those groups. Increased alienation leads to a greater chance of using violence to assert their identity.

It makes a difference to me in so far as I'm currently doing a masters on theories of nationalism and ethnic violence, focusing on Northern Ireland.

[shantykelly]

Do words force someone to murder? Does it make any difference to you?

no they dont force someone to murder, but as we've seen int he north for so many years, words DO have a powerful effect, especially emotional, virulent rhetoric aimed at people who fear what they neither know nor understand.

[Gather round]

The IRA & Sinn Fein members by extension must have an idea who is involved. They surely know who uns the RIRA as presumably they were in the IRA at some stage before breaking away

Sinn Fein's leaders- like the DUP, the PSNI and the British Govt. know who runs the RIRA and CIRA, even if not yet who pulled the triggers. Basically because all the 'mainstream' paramilitaries have been infiltrated for years.


There is no change in Republican thinking in regards to civilian workers for the Crown forces, its just the likes of Adams would have you believe things were so different back then. For militant republicans the only thing that has changed is former republicans are now administering British rule in a Northern Irish assembly when down the road sits a British Army barracks

Noted you prefer not to offer your own opinion, but surely republican thinking has changed- unless you think the non-militant, Sinn Fein leadership aren't republicans any more?


I'm just watching Prime Minister's Questions on BBC - the British just don't get it do they..? Britain this, our country that. The dissidents lap up the kind of language they are using.. It is this kind of language that gives support to the extremes

You can hardly be surprised that the British parliament describing paramilitary murders of British citizens in Britain reacts thus. The reaction wouldn't have been different had the murders been in, say, Roermond or Gibraltar. I very much doubt that paramilitaries are much influenced by ranting British politicians, let alone expressions of horror (however predictable) after murders.


Just look at how Scottish nationalism is on the rise at the same time as Gordon Brown espouses the UK as 'one country' and British as a 'national identity'...

British unionist politicians (by which I mean almost all those in England, Scotland and Wales who don't support SNP and Plaid Cymru, as well as the Ulster variety) have been talking up a Brit national identity for decades (centuries). Yet support for Scottish independence fluctuates a lot (and has fallen significantly since the Icelandic economy collapsed), while in Wales it's never been a runner. I wouldn't read anything into Gordy's slogans.


I don't think they'll succeed. There's almost zero popular support for terrorism in Ireland at this stage, and that's the only thing that allowed the IRA to continue so long

Even allowing for tacit support from DUP and UUP politicians, and some collusion from the British Army, the UDA and UVF ran a paramilitary campaign for decades without any real electoral backing.

[ArdeeBhoy]

But he is right, United Kingdom is a country, Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland are not nations, they are part of the one identity. They are just areas, like the provinces in Ireland.

Hmm, this is the same crowd who've spent a lot of time just bickering over whether there should be a tinpot GB football team (as in the Scots, Welsh & N.E. Ulster don't want it), which in the strict geographical sense wouldn't even include the North......

If they're not a seperate member of the U.N., I'd say that makes them pretty fortunate to have their own side, when areas like Kashmir, Kurdistan & the Basque Country, for instance, all have more credible rights to exist?