Andersonstown News (March 29 2004)

183 loyalist attacks in one year... but British government obsessed with alleged republican acts – Gerry Kelly

The bringing down of the Assembly in the infamous Special Branch raid and other alleged republican activity continues to be the obsession of the British government despite new figures that link the loyalist killing machine to almost 200 violent attacks in the past year, according to Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly.

His comments come after shocking figures this week revealed unionist paramilitaries murdered seven people, carried out 135 shootings and left or exploded 41 deadly bombs.

The figures according to British minister Jane Kennedy came in the 12 months to January. But it is just a week after startling claims recently made by the PSNI boss that republican and loyalist violence was at the same levels. Gerry Kelly said the figures were a reminder of where the violent threat to the peace process came from despite a continual focus on alleged republican activity.

"Unionist politicians and the British government are continually focused on allegations of IRA activity,” he said.

“They have used unsubstantiated allegations to defend the collapse and suspension of the institutions and as the rationale for their failure to implement large parts of the Agreement.”

But the treatment of the loyalist paramilitary godfathers went conveniently unnoticed, he said.

"At the same time they have turned a blind eye to the ongoing activities of the unionist paramilitaries,” said the Sinn Féin MLA.

“All this has passed without little more than comment from either of the main unionist parties or indeed the British government,” said the local MLA. “We have not had special review meetings to discuss these attacks. We have not had determinations from PSNI chief Hugh Orde. We have not had commentary from the IMC.

"People within the nationalist and republican community are sick of the hypocrisy of unionist politicians and the British government.

“They are frustrated at the obvious toleration of what is seen as an acceptable level of unionist violence against Catholics while at the same time threatening the process over allegations from securocrats over IRA activity." Journalist:: Staff Reporter