CALLERS claiming to be from the IRA in Dublin made two statements to RTE at the weekend denying the organisation's involvement in yesterday's bombing of an Enniskillen hotel and appealing for calm among nationalists.
The station's newsroom received a statement from a caller who used a recognised code word at 11.18 a.m. yesterday. It read: "Oglaigh na hEireann was not involved in the bomb attack on the Killyhevlin Hotel in Enniskillen on Saturday night."
At 7.45 p.m. on Saturday, a caller said: "Oglaigh na hEireann applauds the resilience and strength of nationalists in areas under virtual siege from the combined forced this Oranges statelet. Whilst sharing the deep resentment and anger felt in the face of this mass intimidation and violence, we appeal for calm and for people to desist from actions which add to the litany of hardships ...
"We make this appeal knowing that State forces are deliberately provoking the riotous anger of nationalist youths.
"For our part, we assure nationalist areas that this is not 1969 and neither the loyalist hordes or State forces will be permitted to over run or burn down nationalist housing estates."