A POLITICAL organisation associated with a so-called dissident republican group has reacted coolly to confirmation that Sinn Féin junior minister Gerry Kelly is to head a delegation to meet for talks about the future of republicanism.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement said yesterday it has received correspondence from Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams regarding talks.
Mr Adams has been critical of what he has called the failure of dissidents to provide public spokespeople to explain the actions of dissidents who have bombed a police station in Derry and attempted to bomb an army major’s car in Co Down this week.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement said arrangements for discussions with Sinn Féin were not specific and that they would want to highlight the ongoing protest in Maghaberry jail in Co Antrim, in which republican dissident prisoners are involved.
The organisation said there were no firm plans for formal talks with Sinn Féin.
Mr Kelly said yesterday dissident gunmen and bombers needed to be countered by both security measures and by a political effort from others. He stressed that the dissidents posed a threat to society. He argued: “This is 2010 not 1969,” adding there was a political process available to those who sought change and this removed the need for armed action.
An organisation styling itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann, the same name as used by the IRA, has claimed responsibility for the Derry police station bombing early on Tuesday.
The group forced a taxi driver to deliver a 100kg device to Strand Road station in the city, where it exploded while police were evacuating the area. No one was hurt but blast damage was caused in the vicinity.
One PSNI officer said yesterday that “human instinct” made him risk his life to try to clear the area shortly before the bomb exploded.
Duty Sgt Adrian Simpson described how he tried to clear three people from a kebab shop close to where the taxi carrying the bomb had been left.
“Those three people were completely unaware of the danger they were in. What we knew was there was a bomb outside the station which could go off at any time, and those people were completely unaware,” he said.
“I have to consider myself lucky – if things had gone differently, people would have been killed.”
Concern is growing in Derry and in Ardoyne in north Belfast that next Saturday’s annual Apprentice Boys marches could be targeted by dissidents.
East Derry MP Gregory Campbell held talks yesterday with police in Derry in advance of the marches, following the recent string of dissident attacks.
“I think there is cause to be concerned about this dissident activity but I don’t think we should over-estimate the threat. It is very real – a 200lb bomb outside a police station demonstrates how real it is. But we need effective and firm action against it. The entire community needs to give support to the police and give information to the police.”
In Belfast a protest is being organised at a flashpoint at Ardoyne, where local Apprentice Boys are due to march early next Saturday morning on their way to Derry for their demonstration.
A ruling on the parade is due from the Parades Commission on Monday. There is considerable local concern that the Shankill Star band due to lead the parade could be seen by residents as particularly provocative.
No official permission is being sought by those organising the protest, making it illegal. Three nights of sustained rioting scarred the area last month following the Twelfth of July Orange demonstration and a counter-protest by nationalists.