Recent increase in Loyalist attacks-Will it lead to tit for tat?

Wolfe Tone · 02-11-2010 02:10PM #1

Last night there were two bombs planted by loyalists in West Belfast, apparently outside the home of a prominent SF man, interview below.

The blast happened around 2000 GMT. A family of six in the house at the time was not injured, although a van parked outside was badly damaged.

A number of people who had to leave their homes in both areas have been allowed to return.

It is believed the bomb which exploded was attached to a container of petrol.

More detail: BBC report

A four-year-old girl and a pregnant woman have escaped injury after a pipe bomb exploded at their home in west Belfast

UTV

A second bomb was found nearby, but was made safe. These appear to be incendiary devices rather than concussive. Could have been a horrific incident.

Liam Shannon, who has lived in the targeted La Salle Park property for about 30 years, said he believed loyalists were behind the attack.

“This is the third bomb attack on my house in recent times,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.

“I have no idea why I have been targeted. I thought we had left this sort of thing behind but obviously not.

“I think it’s likely to be loyalists. It was loyalists who have targeted me in the past.”

The two houses which were targeted back on to each other.

Mr Shannon added: “The device was sitting on my wall alongside the driveway.

“I went round to see what happened when the first bomb went off, so I would have walked past it then.

“The whole street would have walked past.

“I didn’t see a thing and then the the police shouted for me to get out of the house.

“I would have preferred not to leave but they said they would not work on it until we were out

of the property. They told me it was a very, very viable device.”

Taken from Belfast Telegraph

Today there are a further two alerts, one (i believe) in a Loyalist area the other in a nationalist area(open to correction on this, I am not from Belfast so I am not 100%) Possible republican retaliation? At this time however these are just alerts, nothing confirmed.

Twelve homes have been evacuated in west Belfast due to a security alert.

Police are at the scene and Army bomb experts are examining a suspicious object found in Colinview Street.

A suspicious object has also been found in a second security alert close to the Alexandra Bar on York Road in north Belfast.

Parts of the Limestone Road and Mountcollyer Avenue have been sealed-off.

Taken from BBC

So is this the beginning of a heralded loyalist offensive? A return to tit for tat attacks? Further evidence that normalization is a myth?

What I find interesting is that apparently the first attack was aimed at a SF man. Significant.

Bottle_of_Smoke · 02-11-2010 03:52PM

Republican attacks haven't caused any casulties recently and the constitutional status of norn iron isn't under threat which are the traditional reasons for loyalist attacks

There were loyalist riots in Rathcoole against HET raids in the area last week. I'd imagine this is just an extension of those riots.

jackbenimble · 02-11-2010 04:55PM

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Last night there were two bombs planted by loyalists in West Belfast, apparently outside the home of a prominent SF man, interview below.

Have you any proof they were planted by loyalists?

Wolfe Tone · 02-11-2010 05:06PM

jackbenimble wrote: »

Have you any proof they were planted by loyalists?

Look at the facts, it is obvious that it was loyalists. Even the guy who was targeted in one instance believes it was loyalists.

Do you not think it was loyalists? If so, why not? Do you have an opinion on the attack and its perpetrators?

jackbenimble · 02-11-2010 05:53PM

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

Look at the facts, it is obvious that it was loyalists. Even the guy who was targeted in one instance believes it was loyalists.

Do you not think it was loyalists? If so, why not? Do you have an opinion on the attack and its perpetrators?

I think it's best to wait until real evidence emerges before speculating.

The fact that the individual involved has speculated on the motivation of those who planted the device means absolutely nothing, especially given his Republican thinking.

Wolfe Tone · 02-11-2010 05:58PM

jackbenimble wrote: »

I think it's best to wait until real evidence emerges before speculating.

:rolleyes::rolleyes: Keep the head in the sand there chara.

The fact that the individual involved has speculated on the motivation of those who planted the device means absolutely nothing, especially given his Republican thinking.

Pathetic stuff this from you.

Bottle_of_Smoke · 02-11-2010 06:20PM

Come on lads lets not go down the usual road.

It seems likely to me it was escalation of the loyalist rioting organised by the UVF last week but jack has a point there is no confirmation. There's other possible explanations its a run down republican area could be gang feuding for all we know

Wolfe Tone · 02-11-2010 06:34PM

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Come on lads lets not go down the usual road.

It seems likely to me it was escalation of the loyalist rioting organised by the UVF last week but jack has a point there is no confirmation. There's other possible explanations its a run down republican area could be gang feuding for all we know

Fair enough. Although it is perfectly clear that it is loyalists. Belfast Telegraph is blaming loyalists too. Gang feuding? I doubt it.

Scofflaw · 02-11-2010 07:01PM

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

Come on lads lets not go down the usual road.

Seconded, with emphasis.

moderately,
Scofflaw

geespot · 02-11-2010 07:09PM

good man unionjack be numbing it was definetly gerry adams am sure you have the pictures to prove it

Scofflaw · 02-11-2010 07:33PM

geespot wrote: »

good man unionjack be numbing it was definetly gerry adams am sure you have the pictures to prove it

Learn to read (see post above about "the usual road"). While you're at it, you might consider learning how to write, too.

moderately,
Scofflaw

PanchoVilla · 02-11-2010 07:41PM

These attacks could have been perpetrated by anyone who has something to gain by keeping the tensions between Republicans and Loyalists high. That leaves the door open for a number of groups, including dissident Republicans hell bent on starting another armed struggle.

It that light it's pointless to speculate on who actually carried out the attacks, I just hope the Republican community has enough faith in the PSNI to let them investigate properly and bring the perpetrators to justice, whoever they may be.

karma_ · 02-11-2010 08:37PM

The Belfast Telly is usually fairly accurate on calls like these so it's fairly safe to assume at this stage that this was a loyalist attack, which is backed up as the pipe bomb is one of their trademarks.

Bottle_of_Smoke · 02-11-2010 08:43PM

karma_ wrote: »

The Belfast Telly is usually fairly accurate on calls like these so it's fairly safe to assume at this stage that this was a loyalist attack, which is backed up as the pipe bomb is one of their trademarks.

It is in its hole. Its the equivalent of the Indo with added sh*t stirring. Furthermore it was only quoting a local man's opinion.

dlofnep · 02-11-2010 08:45PM

karma_ wrote: »

The Belfast Telly is usually fairly accurate on calls like these so it's fairly safe to assume at this stage that this was a loyalist attack, which is backed up as the pipe bomb is one of their trademarks.

Heh. It's about as balanced as a fat man on a seesaw.

dlofnep · 02-11-2010 08:49PM

Back on topic - I notice that the media is usually quite about these events. I remember that last time loyalists placed a pipe-bomb in a catholic school - it was printed in the typical tabloids, but they didn't mention that it was loyalists. I remember especially in the Daily Mirror - the page was divided in two. The top half dedicated to the loyalist attack (not once mentioning it was loyalists), and then on the bottom half, with intent of "balancing" it out - they wrote an article on some dissident republican attack that had happened about a month prior to this. They were very clear to state that it was Republicans.

The bias in the media is atrocious and there should be balance to reporting.

jackbenimble · 02-11-2010 09:09PM

dlofnep wrote: »

Back on topic - I notice that the media is usually quite about these events. I remember that last time loyalists placed a pipe-bomb in a catholic school - it was printed in the typical tabloids, but they didn't mention that it was loyalists. I remember especially in the Daily Mirror - the page was divided in two. The top half dedicated to the loyalist attack (not once mentioning it was loyalists), and then on the bottom half, with intent of "balancing" it out - they wrote an article on some dissident republican attack that had happened about a month prior to this. They were very clear to state that it was Republicans.

The bias in the media is atrocious and there should be balance to reporting.

Obviously most Unionists/Loyalists see the media bias differently to you.

dlofnep · 02-11-2010 09:49PM

jackbenimble wrote: »

Obviously most Unionists/Loyalists see the media bias differently to you.

Care to cite any examples?

amacachi · 02-11-2010 10:00PM

Jesus if every pipe-bombing around here made the news there'd be no space for anything else. :pac:

I don't think there's enough evidence to extrapolate from yet. Obviously one can only hope it was a one-off thing.

KeithAFC · 02-11-2010 10:02PM

Would not surprise me. Seems to be a mini uprising.

KeithAFC · 02-11-2010 10:07PM

MUSSOLINI, saying will it be tit for tat is stupid. If it did, the peace process would be over.

Wolfe Tone · 02-11-2010 10:10PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

MUSSOLINI, saying will it be tit for tat is stupid. If it did, the peace process would be over.

How is it stupid to ask that? What we have had here appears to be 2 loyalist bombs, then a dissident one outside what I believe is a loyalist pub the next day.

Wolfe Tone · 02-11-2010 10:14PM

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

It is in its hole. Its the equivalent of the Indo with added sh*t stirring. Furthermore it was only quoting a local man's opinion.

Do you really think that this was not a loyalist attack?

geespot · 02-11-2010 10:19PM

going by all reports young people queing up to join r.i.r.a. in fairness to the loyalist they or doing there best to boost the r.i.r.a recruitment drive like paisley and his bigot friends did for the provos in the past

KeithAFC · 02-11-2010 10:54PM

geespot wrote: »

going by all reports young people queing up to join r.i.r.a. in fairness to the loyalist they or doing there best to boost the r.i.r.a recruitment drive like paisley and his bigot friends did for the provos in the past

Blame the dissidents. The moment they kill loyalists, that is when the problems will come.

dlofnep · 02-11-2010 11:09PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

Blame the dissidents. The moment they kill loyalists, that is when the problems will come.

How about this.

Anyone hurt or killed by dissidents, we blame dissidents. Anyone hurt or killed by loyalists, we blame loyalists. We don't pass the buck, and whoever commits the act is solely responsible.

KeithAFC · 02-11-2010 11:13PM

dlofnep wrote: »

How about this.

Anyone hurt or killed by dissidents, we blame dissidents. Anyone hurt or killed by loyalists, we blame loyalists. We don't pass the buck, and whoever commits the act is solely responsible.

The chances are that the dissidents will kill a loyalist and its a very high chance of this happening. The moment this happens, is when things will kick off because the UVF will not stand by and allow this to happen.

Wolfe Tone · 02-11-2010 11:14PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

The chances are that the dissidents will kill a loyalist and its a very high chance of this happening. The moment this happens, is when things will kick off because the UVF will not stand by and allow this to happen.

Thats a no then dlofnep.

Keith, you would of course urge restraint, and urge all loyalists to follow the peaceful path.... right?

dlofnep · 02-11-2010 11:16PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

The chances are that the dissidents will kill a loyalist and its a very high chance of this happening. The moment this happens, is when things will kick off because the UVF will not stand by and allow this to happen.

What had the children in that school in Antrim that was planted with a pipe-bomb have to do with dissidents? Stop passing the buck.

KeithAFC · 02-11-2010 11:20PM

dlofnep wrote: »

What had the children in that school in Antrim that was planted with a pipe-bomb have to do with dissidents? Stop passing the buck.

Same can be said for the bomb left near the bin which went off which was planted by the dissidents.

The dissidents seem better armed at the moment too.

I support the GFA.

dlofnep · 02-11-2010 11:31PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

Same can be said for the bomb left near the bin which went off which was planted by the dissidents.

I don't remember trying to blame loyalists for anything dissidents have done.

Recent increase in Loyalist attacks-Will it lead to tit for tat?

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