WebProNews

Tag: northern ireland

  • Gerry Adams Released, Criticizes His Arrest

    Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has been released from police custody following four days of questioning by Northern Ireland authorities. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had arrested Adams last Wednesday on suspicion of involvement with a 1972 murder.

    In a press conference following his release Adams criticized the PSNI, suggesting that the timing of his arrest may have had something to do with impending elections in Northern Ireland. Adams also stated that while he does not dissociate himself with the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the past, the era of the IRA is over.

    “The IRA is gone,” said Adams. “It’s finished.”

    Adams was arrested last week on suspicion of his involvement in the 1972 murder of Jean McConville. McConville, a woman living in Belfast, was kidnapped and murdered by the IRA for her suspected collusion with British forces. Her body was buried in County Louth. The murder was one of many on both sides of the Irish War of Independence, during which suspected informants were routinely murdered and buried in secret.

    In 1999 the IRA officially claimed responsibility for McConville’s murder. The group claimed to have found a transmitter in the woman’s home, a claim contested by Northern Ireland police.

    According to a BBC News report, 33 taped interviews with Adams were conducted during his four days in custody. The interviews and the McConville case have been sent to the Public Prosecution Service, but Adams’ release from police custody signals that there is not enough evidence to link the man to the McConville murder.

    Though Northern Ireland has largely seen peace for over a decade now, Adams’ arrest demonstrates just how much influence the IRA and other paramilitary organizations still have over Northern Ireland politics. As the leader of Sinn Fein, Adams has been instrumental to the peace process in Northern Ireland.

    Image via Sinn Fein

  • Northern Ireland Violence Between Catholics and Protestants Lead To Injuries

    It’s time for a quick history lesson, the contents of which might sound familiar if you happen to have a love for European history (as the writer of this article does). Back in the seventeenth century, when the English empire was taking strides to conquer as much of the world as it could, they succeeded in capturing Ireland, and proceeded to settle it heavily in the island’s north. Most of these English settlers were Protestant, while most of the original Irish inhabitants were Catholic. (Remember that, it’s important.)

    As northern Ireland became more prosperous and industrial, southern Ireland, particularaly the Catholic masses, became poor and malnourished under the ownership of English, Protestant land owners. This led to many issues, including eventual political divides between the two religious factions; Irish Catholics wanted independence from the British, while the Protestants (now both Irish and English) feared being under the home rule of a Catholic majority. Tensions rose until, in 1921, Northern Ireland was made a part of Britain and the rest of Ireland was declared a free state; enter a short period of peace, right up until the 1960’s, when riots, terrorist attacks, and other bloody violence. These conflicts have continued ever since, with a bit of a stale mate since the 1990’s.

    With that, we have arrived at the current conflicts occurring in Northern Ireland.

    Last night, violence erupted in downtown Belfast after Protestant militants attacked and wounded fifty six officers who were in charge of protecting a parade being held by Irish Republican Army supporters. The militants reportedly wore British flags as capes, and caused damage to public property, such as pavement and scaffolding. Police responded to the attacks with non-lethal means, such as water canons and plastic bullets.

    The Protestant attacks seem to stem from the belief that the Irish government never should have authorized such a parade in the first place; they see it as propaganda and completely uncalled for. There is speculation that this may be the first of more violence to come, especially as similar parades continue. In the meantime, the Irish police have vowed to “pursue the militants” and to wreak justice upon them for their violent acts.