LOCAL POLITICIANS CONDEMN BOMBING OF FERMANAGH HOTEL
Local politicians condemn bombing of Fermanagh hotel
Doherty feels Continuity had not brains to plant bomb
SINN FEIN's Pat Doherty has slammed the actions of the Continuity IRA whose members he described as not having 'two brain cells between them' and he said their bombing of Mahon's Hotel was only done with the help of 'securocrats'.
The Vice President and MLA for West Tyrone said "At various stages and at crucial junctures, we have seen things like this happen, and when examined coldly, the only agenda pursued is that of the 'no' camp and of the Securocrats within the British establishment".
"In all our dealings throughout the years, some elements of the British establishment were working to a sub-agenda and that of an 'empire' mentality. They do not want to see Irish nationalism raise its head and have continually exercised a 'divide and conquer' policy.
"The Securocrats are out to wreck any progress and I believe they have facilitated and helped these things to happen.
"It is absolutely clear that the Securocrat agenda is very much active in the Irvinestown attack. The Continuity IRA haven't got two brain cells to rub together. I would call on them to disband and get out off the road. They are of no value to anyone and their whole exercise is so stupid.
The Securocrats agenda is facilitated by idiotic people under the umbrella of the Continuity IRA and I would call on them to disband as they are of no service to nationalist Ireland or Republican ideals" said Mr Doherty.
Fellow MLA, Joe Byrne of the SDLP also condemned the attack at Mahon's Hotel and said the perpetrators had no authority to carry out this 'act of political violence' which is totally against the wishes of the Irish people.
"The Continuity IRA has no mandate and they are totally out of touch and indeed acting contrary to the agreement and indeed trying to destroy the Good Friday Agreement" concluded Mr Byrne.
Derek Hussey, Ulster Unionist MLA for West Tyrone, said he was relieved that no-one was injured in the Irvinestown bombing and he praised the RUC for ensuring that the premises were cleared.
He said he wanted to extend his sympathy to Joe Mahon, his family and staff 'both on the physical damage to the property and the traumatic effect this would have had on them and the entire Irvinestown community which has been spared to a great degree the atrocities which many other towns and villages suffered during the major part of our troubled times'.
Mr Hussey condemned 'in the harshest words possible' the actions of Continuity IRA. "But I would point out to mainstream republicanism that this incident clearly demonstrates the need for all weapons, explosives etc to be promptly decommissioned and thus not available to others who might seek to use them against the democratic process" he added.
The bombing has also been slammed by Workers Party NI Secretary, Tommy Owens who said the attack was an attempt to destroy the peace process and plunge NI back into the nightmare years of the past.
"This is an attack upon the local community and the citizens of Irvinestown. This is a family business which has been here for decades and gives employment to local people and is used for socialising by all. To target this is the sign of a diseased and warped mentality".
Mr Owens said "People, politicians and those paramilitaries genuinely seeking peace should move now to secure democracy and show these unreconstructed terrorists that they and their bombs are not wanted".
In a statement, the IRSP has called on the republicans 'still involved in the armed struggle to examine closely the effects of attacks such as that in Irvinestown. "Attacks like Sunday night's, whatever the moral arguments, serve only to distract attention from the serious flaws in the Good Friday Agreement" said a spokesman.
Condemning the bomb at Irvinestown, Oliver Gibson, DUP MLA for West Tyrone blamed the bombers' actions on the failed political process.
He said the state of affairs in Northern Ireland at the moment is such that the Good Friday Agreement is doomed to failure.
"The sooner this agreement is put to bed or in its coffin, the better. Also, the sooner the terrorists are tackled by the security forces in the south of Ireland, where they have their headquarters and arms dumps, that will be the first proof that the south of Ireland has a genuine interest in eradicating terrorism.
"Secondly, the South of Ireland claimed that they would hand over and deal with the Omagh Bombers, instead they made an arranged ceasefire with them and at the moment, all of Ireland is in a state of anarchy because terrorism has never been dealt with.
"No-one can govern a country that contains in its ranks terrorists who are armed and who have the intention of using these arms for political gain when they feel the political game is getting tough."
Doherty feels Continuity had not brains to plant bomb
SINN FEIN's Pat Doherty has slammed the actions of the Continuity IRA whose members he described as not having 'two brain cells between them' and he said their bombing of Mahon's Hotel was only done with the help of 'securocrats'.
The Vice President and MLA for West Tyrone said "At various stages and at crucial junctures, we have seen things like this happen, and when examined coldly, the only agenda pursued is that of the 'no' camp and of the Securocrats within the British establishment".
"In all our dealings throughout the years, some elements of the British establishment were working to a sub-agenda and that of an 'empire' mentality. They do not want to see Irish nationalism raise its head and have continually exercised a 'divide and conquer' policy.
"The Securocrats are out to wreck any progress and I believe they have facilitated and helped these things to happen.
"It is absolutely clear that the Securocrat agenda is very much active in the Irvinestown attack. The Continuity IRA haven't got two brain cells to rub together. I would call on them to disband and get out off the road. They are of no value to anyone and their whole exercise is so stupid.
The Securocrats agenda is facilitated by idiotic people under the umbrella of the Continuity IRA and I would call on them to disband as they are of no service to nationalist Ireland or Republican ideals" said Mr Doherty.
Fellow MLA, Joe Byrne of the SDLP also condemned the attack at Mahon's Hotel and said the perpetrators had no authority to carry out this 'act of political violence' which is totally against the wishes of the Irish people.
"The Continuity IRA has no mandate and they are totally out of touch and indeed acting contrary to the agreement and indeed trying to destroy the Good Friday Agreement" concluded Mr Byrne.
Derek Hussey, Ulster Unionist MLA for West Tyrone, said he was relieved that no-one was injured in the Irvinestown bombing and he praised the RUC for ensuring that the premises were cleared.
He said he wanted to extend his sympathy to Joe Mahon, his family and staff 'both on the physical damage to the property and the traumatic effect this would have had on them and the entire Irvinestown community which has been spared to a great degree the atrocities which many other towns and villages suffered during the major part of our troubled times'.
Mr Hussey condemned 'in the harshest words possible' the actions of Continuity IRA. "But I would point out to mainstream republicanism that this incident clearly demonstrates the need for all weapons, explosives etc to be promptly decommissioned and thus not available to others who might seek to use them against the democratic process" he added.
The bombing has also been slammed by Workers Party NI Secretary, Tommy Owens who said the attack was an attempt to destroy the peace process and plunge NI back into the nightmare years of the past.
"This is an attack upon the local community and the citizens of Irvinestown. This is a family business which has been here for decades and gives employment to local people and is used for socialising by all. To target this is the sign of a diseased and warped mentality".
Mr Owens said "People, politicians and those paramilitaries genuinely seeking peace should move now to secure democracy and show these unreconstructed terrorists that they and their bombs are not wanted".
In a statement, the IRSP has called on the republicans 'still involved in the armed struggle to examine closely the effects of attacks such as that in Irvinestown. "Attacks like Sunday night's, whatever the moral arguments, serve only to distract attention from the serious flaws in the Good Friday Agreement" said a spokesman.
Condemning the bomb at Irvinestown, Oliver Gibson, DUP MLA for West Tyrone blamed the bombers' actions on the failed political process.
He said the state of affairs in Northern Ireland at the moment is such that the Good Friday Agreement is doomed to failure.
"The sooner this agreement is put to bed or in its coffin, the better. Also, the sooner the terrorists are tackled by the security forces in the south of Ireland, where they have their headquarters and arms dumps, that will be the first proof that the south of Ireland has a genuine interest in eradicating terrorism.
"Secondly, the South of Ireland claimed that they would hand over and deal with the Omagh Bombers, instead they made an arranged ceasefire with them and at the moment, all of Ireland is in a state of anarchy because terrorism has never been dealt with.
"No-one can govern a country that contains in its ranks terrorists who are armed and who have the intention of using these arms for political gain when they feel the political game is getting tough."
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1326
Published Date: 10-Feb-00
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