Issue 142, Saoirse: Irish Freedom (February, 1999)

              uimh 142 feabhra — february 1999 50p usa 1 onents deal republican sinn fein has deplored the abduction and beating of former political prisoner paddy fox of dungannon co tyrone on sunday january 31 paddy fox had been socialising with friends in the four seasons hotel in monaghan when he came upon a gang of provos from the tyrone area he went outside to get into a car with another couple of friends to leave at about 2.30am when the provos appeared and dragged htm out of the car fox fought his abductors who were said to be a gang of up to six men he was overpowered and driven away he was released nine hours later with facial injuries and bruising to the body paddy fox served six years of a 10-year sentence imposed on him in 1990 for transporting a bomb in dungannon co tyrone during his term in prison his parents charles 63 and theresa 53 were shot dead in their home by the uvf pro-british death squad the abduction of paddy fox on the last day of january came on the date of an interview he had given to britain's observer newspaper in which he said the provos tried to kidnap him he said i don't want to sit with a bag over my head for six hours adding that seemed to be the price of dissent these days within the provisional movement paddy fox said his agony began last november when he returned home from a night out with his brother to find four members of the provisional military organisation from east tyrone ransacking the house the provos also tried to abduct him outside his house on january 21 his outspoken political opposition to the stormont agreement and criticism of the provo leadership have resulted in his kidnapping and subsequent beating establishment politicians in westminster stormont and leinster house choose to ignore this outrage — just as they ignored the vicious attack on michael donnelly chairperson of republican sinn fein's comhairle uladh ulster executive his wife and family in their home last june the provisionals state ment february 3 about raids on its arms dumps is an attempt to excuse attacks on opponents of the stormont agreement the massive increase in so called punishment attacks in january is indicative of the same trend when a physical attack on political opponents of the stormont agreement takes place these politicians and others in high places who are usually very vociferous simply look the other way political opposition to the stormont agreement will not be suppressed either by censorship or physical attacks on political opponents paddy fox michael donnelly and those who defy all such attempts to intimidate and silence them are to be complimented for their courage • january 31 1999 — paddy fox of dungannon co tyrone former political prisoner was abducted and beaten by provisionals in monaghan both physical and moral resistance to british rule is increasing following the armed attack on woodbourne barracks west belfast on january 14 ronnie flanagan the head of the ruc said the continuity ira was extending its campaign a week later four men were charged in connection with the attack see page 2 inside on the 80th anniversary january 21 of the first all ireland dail republican sinn fein held a picket on the british embassy in dublin followed by a successful public meeting a • new republican colour poster 23.5 x 30 features ireland's hunger strikers from the h-bl of 1981 back to thomas ashe in 1917 5 or 6 from 223 par n ell street dublin 1 provos seek to crush political oppositio • june 28 1998 — michael donnelly s home in derry was attacked by armed provisionals and he suffered a broken leg and other injuries other members of his family were also injured in the attack letter was handed in to the british ambassador stating that the irish people would recover their courage and push for english disengagement from their country in the united states the successful michael flannery testimonial dinner organised by the irish freedom committee at the end of january showed a rise in support for those who have not sold out their republican principles the arrest by the us authorities of a leading republican in new york as he travelled to the dinner page 3 mirrors the increase in harassment by the dublin and london administrations of republican sinn fein members and supporters the past weeks have also witnessed an upsurge in bombings of innocent civilian targets by loyalist death squads which only by sheer luck have so far caused no deaths among the nationalist families involved meanwhile david trimble announced in the last week of january that he was seeking a review of the stormont agreement this can only mean he wants to change it he is obviously not happy with the strengthened stormont executive and emasculated cross-bordcr bodies he secured on december 18 last republican sinn fein has repeatedly stated that the stormont sell-out does not end with the stormont agreement bertie ahern's new year call in his ucd speech to rejoin the commonwealth after 50 years was followed up within days by his u-turn yet another from fianna fail announcement that the 26 counties would ditch neutrality and enter into the nato group the partnership for peace by the end of this year the truth is there is no end to the sell-out by the 26 county establishment and their provisional allies they have long since renounced any principle in pursuit of positions of power in the existing partitionist framework