Bullets sent to Sinn Fein members

[Shades40]

A brick has been thrown through the window of a Sinn Fein office which was badly damaged in a suspicious fire last month.
An envelope containing bullets and a note, purporting to be from the Red Hand Defenders, threatening three party members was attached to the missile.

Sinn Fein's Thomas O'Reilly said the attack was "very worrying".

Mr O'Reilly appealed to unionist representatives and clergymen to help bring the attacks to an end.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6993842.stm

Expresses the need for Loyalists/dissidents to disarm now before this escalates although was reading at the weekend that they have no intention of doing any such thing ;D

[Wasp]

Well clergy from all sides and politicians from all sides as well as at home and abroad pleaded with the ira to stop its violence, yet they went on ahead so I don't think Unionist politicians or clergy will have too much influence as many loyalists see it as what's good for the goose is good for the gander. They see it as why should they listen when the ira didn't for years and years???

[Shades40]

But everyone was told for years and years that Loyalists where only using violence because of the IRA which no longer exist, unless they need their guns for something else?

[Jim]

wasp said:

Well clergy from all sides and politicians from all sides as well as at home and abroad pleaded with the ira to stop its violence, yet they went on ahead so I don't think Unionist politicians or clergy will have too much influence as many loyalists see it as what's good for the goose is good for the gander. They see it as why should they listen when the ira didn't for years and years???

And they now have listened, so whats your point?

[Wasp]

setanta said:

A death threat is usually a sign that you're doing something right!

WASP, I really don't get you sometimes. You purport to be a pacafist yet here you are condoning this action because of "whats good for the goose is good for the gander". Are Sinn Féin threatening to kill people? Are we likely to?

Hang on I did not condone this, reread my post. I said many loyalists will see it that way.

Jim you said they have now listened so whats my point? Well do you think loyalists are going to listen simply because sinn fein/ira apparently listened? If you do you are very much mistaken.

I have had debates on loyalist violence with hardline loyalists not just in forums but face to face and believe me I think you are all seriously mistaking them.

Shades what you said is very true, but from many hardline loyalists they look at it differently from what you are saying. First of all they see ira violence being rewarded and listened to, they see terrorists in government and those who supported 30 years of republican bloodshed and still refuse to condemn some of it. Secondly there is the threat from dissedent republicans and I cannot see loyalists continuing to be on a 'ceasefire' if things keep going as they are.

[Jim]

wasp said:

Hang on I did not condone this, reread my post. I said many loyalists will see it that way.

Jim you said they have now listened so whats my point? Well do you think loyalists are going to listen simply because sinn fein/ira apparently listened? If you do you are very much mistaken.

I have had debates on loyalist violence with hardline loyalists not just in forums but face to face and believe me I think you are all seriously mistaking them.

Shades what you said is very true, but from many hardline loyalists they look at it differently from what you are saying. First of all they see ira violence being rewarded and listened to, they see terrorists in government and those who supported 30 years of republican bloodshed and still refuse to condemn some of it. Secondly there is the threat from dissedent republicans and I cannot see loyalists continuing to be on a 'ceasefire' if things keep going as they are.

Loyalists may listen if they want to be taken seriously. They dont have an enemy to fight anymore, the IRA they said they fought are gone. The only IRAs left are dissidents and in my opinion, they are not a threat and need to knock it on the head anyway, they dont have the man power and the INLA are in no position to do any better either.

Republicans at large, including most dissidents, dont want an armed campaign at the minute because there is no support for it, right now there is probably as less a support for an armed campaign in the history of republicanism and thats a long time! The only threat dissidents are is to other republicans.