ending their criminality...

by io Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:24

The 28th of March 2003, The Supreme Court of Spain ordered the illegalisation of Batasuna, Euskal Herritarrok and HB and ordered the immediate end to their activities after finding they were intrinsically the same organisation as the terrorist group ETA. This ruling included rallies, party meetings, fundraising and was stretched to include the only basque language newspaper.
Subsequently those groups changed their name to "left socialist indepence".

Since October 3, 2004 and the arrest of Mikel Antza the presumed leader of ETA by the French authorities, the list of arrested ETA members has grown to a 100.
The list of seized weaponry has included two SAM missiles, many tons of explosives and oodles of guns.

Yesterday, the leader of the illegalised HB grouping made a statement in a little Basque town amidst accusations from the right that they were attempting to organise again, (earlier in the week they had held meetings with the Basque section of the striking Spanish dockers). The statement calls for a two strand process of negotiation, one political (including all parties in the Basque to plan a route to self-determination) and one "military" between ETA and the Spanish and French states.

These proposals have been rejected by the Madrid government. and this morning's Spanish press though reporting the proposals has naturally pointed out that since the March 14th general elections and the "popular anti-terrorist mandate" of the new government, ETA has been "militarily" crippled. Though the very offering of these statements can be seen as an indication that the political process in about to move, with negotiation of the new Spanish State statute which defines the relationship between the central government and the 17 autonomous regions now pending.

http://www.paz-digital.com/portal/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2806


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In related news, if only somewhat, two young Catalans have now been pardoned though not released from prison. They had previously been accused of assisting ETA in the murder of a councillor of the local government of Viladecavalls (Catalonia), the sentence asked for by the prosecution has been dismissed. We should remember the people who admitted that crime said that Zigor and Laura were not involved.

In spite of this absolution, they will remain in jail for 7 and 9 years, which was the sentence from the first trial. This sentencing comes from Audiència Nacional, the same institution which acquitted them of murder. Now Laura remains in the serious situation of solitary confinement. For these reasons so many forms of support are being developed: demonstrations, declarations and others by collectives, individuals...and, like so many other cases, this fight and constant solidarity is the best way to help them.

you can read about Laura and Zigor at barcelona indymedia central column using the english button

by saf Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:33

The UDA have signalled a ceasefire. Not for the first time they wish to take part in the political process, which allowed the northern Ireland state which they believe to be an integral part of the United Kingdom to develop a "peace process" with discussion between many factions and groupings on the basis of cessation of military and para-military activity.
This "peace process" exemplified a different way of attempting to resolve local "national" politics to that which in the basque led to the complete illegalisation of all groups involved.

The UDA have been mostly responsible for the sectarian murder and terrorising of catholic, irish nationalist and republican communities for the last two generations. The extent of their collusion with the British state forces has never been fully established and those who have attempted to establish such a link were intimidated and some even murdered.

It is very unclear what negotiation stance the group wish take with the UK and partner government of Ireland in the British Irish peace process. It is presumed they will worry about their prisoners. Worrying about their victims might be too difficult for them.

by pat c Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:38

(The UDA have carried out previous attacks on Mr O'Connor and his mother. )
SDLP man fires warning shots
An SDLP councillor has fired a number of shots to protect himself from a gang of men who had confronted him in County Antrim.
Danny O'Connor said he used the gun because he feared for his life.

The incident happened after the gang threw a tar-like substance over his mother's car in Larne.

It took place outside their house on Churchill Road at about 0045 GMT on Monday.

The O'Connor family have been attacked a number of times in the past by loyalist paramilitaries.


The gang ran off after the latest attack, but returned to confront Mr O'Connor a short time later.

He then fired four shots into the air from a legally held gun.


I fired four quick shots over the top of their heads - they then ran away. I was really afraid for my life, to be honest with you
Danny O'Connor
SDLP councillor

No members of the gang, who ran off, were injured.

Both Mr O'Connor and his mother were treated for shock.

He said: "A group of men had poured tar-type stuff over my mother's car," he said.

"I heard the noise out the front, but by the time I had put the cameras on they were running away.

"I went outside and had a look around and I was waiting on the police to come.

"I saw two figures on the camera and thought it was the police. By the time I went out, I realised that it wasn't the police and that I was in a bit of danger.

"There was one fella who looked to be in the act of throwing something - I don't know if it was a stone or a pipe bomb - but at the time when you have to react to something like that everything just seems to happen instantaneously.

"I was really scared, because I thought it might have been a pipe bomb because my late brother had been pipe bombed.

"I fired four quick shots over the top of their heads - they then ran away. I was really afraid for my life, to be honest with you."



Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/4012231.stm

Published: 2004/11/15 07:34:09 GMT

© BBC MMIV

by Barry Mon Nov 15, 2004 20:11

Presumably in the interests of Britains peace-process the British government will have worked out a deal to allow the UDAs drug empire and extensive network of brothels to remain in place.

I would imagine any deal on prisoners would be extremely difficult. The overwhelming majority of the UDAs prisoners are in for drug-possession, extortion and killing their fellow loyalists in turf-wars and ego driven personal vendettas. A nastier section of the dregs of the pro-British criminal underclass you could not hope to meet (except of course in the UVF,LVF,RHC etc,)

This "ceasefire" statement seems to be supported by the notorious Shoukri brothers, unsavoury individuals with extensive criminal backgrounds, one of whom was let out on extremely generous bail conditions despite being caught with a loaded handgun in the middle of one of the many loyalist drug feuds. The other one is out on equally generous bail despite being a major suspect in the kidnapping, murder and burial of one of his young associates.

A close relative of mine is currently incarcerated by the British for republican POLITICAL activity. Although no-one was actually harmed in his offence and he had a perfectly clean record, actually WORKING for a living, (not so much as a parking ticket in his life) bail was basically laughed out of court.

When his first child was born he was denied compassionate bail to attend the birth. (these loyalist gangsters are frequently allowed bail even to attend 12th July marches and bonfires) When his father died recently he was granted 6 hours to attend the funeral, despite the jail being a considerable distance from the family home.

This was despite him not actually being convicted of anything. Murderers, thieves, paedophiles, drug-dealers and loyalists (usually most of the above ARE loyalists)routinely recieve between 48-72 hours compassionate parole.

Traditionally republican prisoners have ALWAYS honoured the terms of parole. There is not a single case of a republican prisoner absconding while on parole during the entire conflict and the authorities are well aware of it, but such are the standards of political life in our lovely wee British "pravince"

It seems now in the interests of Britsh rule we will have to continue with double-standards, criminal empires, and all the unsavoury activities that go with them, being a normal part of everyday life. In the interests of peace we will have to bring up our children in a filthy rotten corrupt society.

When Britain organised these counter-gangs for the purpose of terrorising the Nationalist community, they created yet another monster on this island to serve it's interests. This monster has now turned from destroying nationalist lives to destroying working class protestant areas, flooding them with drugs and making seedy and brutal criminality a normal part of everyday life. Now that the UDA ceasefire has been recognised we can expect this criminality to proceed unhindered, and we shall all live happily ever after under the union-jack, British rule and all the stinking corruption that goes with it.

After 800 years of resistance we didnt come away with much to smile about did we?

by Pj Thu Nov 18, 2004 16:28

Ok thank you Comdt Mr UDA. And what about IRA murder gangs down South.