JANUARY, 2004

MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2004: Jeffrey Donaldson, who along with fellow Assembly members Arlene Foster and Norah Beare resigned from the Ulster Unionist Party on December 18, joined the Democratic Unionist Party.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY, 2004: There was a bomb scare in west Belfast near the city centre, at a car in Durham Street. British army bomb disposal experts carried out a series of controlled explosions which were heard over much of Belfast. The scare turned out to be a hoax.

There were reports of heavy British occupation force activity on the ground in parts of north Belfast, particularly on the upper Crumlin Road.

There were also reports of a raid by British Crown Forces taking place in a loyalist area of east Belfast.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2004: It was reported that a man was to appear in court following the previous day's raid in east Belfast and it was claimed that a number of "paramilitary items" were found during the raid.

Loyalists carried out another race attack on a family including a pregnant woman in the loyalist Donegall Road area.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2004: A ghoulish attack was carried out on the Republican Plot in Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast. A number of the graves were attacked and headstones smashed in yet another of many such attacks on the Republican Plot down the years. This latest attack, including what could be a bomb left there, will cause pain to loved ones of those who lie within the Plot. The grave of Provisional leader Gerry Adams' parents was also attacked.

MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2004: There were reports of a number of raids being carried out in the loyalist Rathcoole estate in north Belfast.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2004: It was reported that trouble had broken out in Maghaberry jail, believed to be centred in Bann House where loyalist prisoners are imprisoned. Part of Bann House was reported to be on fire and loyalists were said to have barricaded themselves in. A bomb was said to have been found in Bann House in the prison.

Loyalists from Glenbryn threw a pipe bomb into the nationalist Alliance Avenue and another pipe bomb was found near the Cavehill Road at the bottom of the loyalist Westland Road.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2004: Thursday was a day of claim and counter-claim of the riot in Maghaberry prison. Claims by loyalists that the riot was started by Republican prisoners were dismissed for the lies they were, as there are no Republican prisoners in Bann House. Nevertheless what happened in Maghaberry was always waiting to happen because the Maghaberry regime failed time and time again to listen to the concerns of prisoners and prisoners' groups. Maghaberry is and has been a time bomb waiting to go off. In the past a number of Republican POWs have been attacked by loyalists in the prison who very often have outnumbered them, sometimes 15 to one, on the landings. There is little doubt that as long as the Maghaberry regime runs the prison as they are the time bomb will keep ticking.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2004: Friday witnessed loyalist bomb scares all over Belfast. In many cases the RUC/PSNI claimed the bomb scares were hoaxes, even those which it was clear were not. The scares all centred round nationalist areas, including Catholic schools and community centers. The list was a long one and went on from morning into the night. Our Lady of Mercy school on the Ballysillan Road was once again targeted.

The first of the scares started when a car was left outside the Provisionals' office on the Ormeau Road, around 12 noon. Throughout the day were bomb scares at Whiteabbey, Ligoniel Road, Ballysillan in north Belfast, Falls Road, Springfield Road, Kennedy Way, Stockman's Lane and the M1 in west Belfast.

Later in the morning there was another bomb scare in Milltown and Macedon Court near Abbeyville Street, Whiteabbey, north Belfast and the Andersonstown Road, west Belfast.

Around 5pm, two pipe bombs were thrown into the nationalist Alliance Avenue.

Later into the night there were a number of other scares, at the Sydenham bypass, Cregagh Road and Cromac Street at the Markets in south Belfast. All the scares came from areas where the UDA are known to be in control.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2004: Yet more bomb scares were reported in north Belfast. Once again the Alliance Avenue was the target as well as the nearby Deerpark Road. Two pipe bombs were thrown into these areas. Once again the RUC/PSNI made the questionable claim that the bombs were hoaxes. These hoax bombs caused the areas concerned to be blocked off for hours. Later on a number of what were reported as "suspicious objects" were found in Holy Cross Girls Primary School. These were also said by the British colonial police, the RUC/PSNI, to be hoaxes.

There were reports that the sectarian RUC/PSNI started a riot in a nationalist area of west Belfast. It was believed the trouble broke out after the RUC/PSNI tried to lift a youth. They were attacked at that stage by around 200 people forcing the British police to retreat from the area. A number of them were injured and several Land Rovers damaged.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2004 Tension remained high in many nationalist areas of Belfast.

MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2004: Two Catholic schools in north Belfast - Holy Cross Girls Primary School and St Gabriel's College were targeted by loyalists. Holy Cross Girls backs off to St Gabriel's. The girls' school is on the Ardoyne Road and St Gabriel's on the Crumlin Road, and true to form the RUC/PSNI declared the suspicious objects to be hoaxes.

Once again sectarian loyalists took time out from their race attacks of recent weeks to carry out sectarian attacks on nationalists. What is very clear is the loyalists have been able to carry out all these attacks at will.

There were also reports of a bomb scare on the Ormeau Road, also deemed to be a hoax.

Around 7pm there were further scares at the Deerpark Road, Upper Oldpark Road and Joanmount off the Upper Oldpark Road. All three of these were declared by the RUC/PSNI to be hoaxes.

Loyalists claimed that two loyalist prisoners in Maghaberry had started a hunger strike. The claim was made by the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG).

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2004: It was reported that a bomb had been found in the Twinbrook area, just outside west Belfast. It was later said to be a hoax.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2004: It was reported that the two loyalists claiming to be on hunger strike in Maghaberry jail since January 19 had ended their fast.

There were also reports of raids and a number of people being arrested in north Belfast. Occupation Forces blocked off the Antrim Road and Cliftonville area. The New Lodge Road was also targeted for what appeared to be a large Occupation Forces' operation. The areas were blocked off for a number of hours.

George McCaul (42), from Twinbrook in Belfast, a fundraiser for prisoners supported by the 32-County Sovereignty Movement, was shot in both feet when more than a dozen masked men went to his home and told him they were from the Provisional's armed wing. Another triumph for the Provisional police!

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2004: It was reported that four people were arrested by British Crown Forces and guns found in an operation in north Belfast the previous day. There were reports that four people had been arrested in what nationalists living on the Antrim Road and in the New Lodge area claimed was a big operation by British Occupation Forces. Locals also claimed that an undercover squad of some kind was spotted in the area earlier in the day and at around 7.15pm two British army Land Rovers mounted a checkpoint at the York Gate shopping centre. The centre is at the bottom of the New Lodge Road with its side gate running onto North Queen Street. The Checkpoint itself was set up at the front gate. Locals also claimed that the operation was the largest seen in the area for a number of years.

Occupation Forces later claimed that two people were arrested and weapons found in a car on the New Lodge Road. They further claimed weapons were found in a follow- up search in the area and two women were arrested. The RUC/PSNI refused to give out or disclose any information on the operation.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2004: There were reports of a shooting in the Carlisle Parade area. It was claimed that one shot was fired around 7.45pm. A man was believed to have been arrested and a gun was said to have been found.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2004: Loyalists tried to murder children who were training at the Lá:imh Dearg GAA club on the Hannastown Road on the Upper Springfield Road. A booby-trap was put on the gate that the children had passed through around 11.30am. It was clear that the loyalists who planned the booby-trap targeted the children. The bomb was found by a member of staff around 1pm.

MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2004: It was reported that a powerful distress flare was used as a booby-trap to target children at the Láimh Dearg GAA club on January 25.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2004: It was reported that four men with links to the Provisionals were arrested by the RUC/PSNI in west Belfast. The reports alleged that the four were being questioned in connection with beatings carried out over a number of years.

It was reported that up to 30 ethnic minority families and individuals had to flee their homes in Belfast in the past year. These attacks have been directed from the loyalist death squads as a sideline from their ethnic cleansing of nationalists.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2004: There were reports of a bomb being taped to the office door of a loyalist prisoners' group. Loyalists claimed that the bomb, believed to have been planted inside the office, was put there by Republicans. These claims were dismissed by nationalists and the view was that these claims were nothing more than a ploy by loyalists to take the heat off the UDA who have in recent weeks stepped up their sectarian attacks on nationalists.

FEBRUARY, 2004

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2004: The small nationalist estate Bawnmore, near Newtownabbey in north Belfast, was once again visited by sec- tarian loyalist bigots., Three nationalist friends were walking towards the Boundary Bar around 7.30am when a car drove up to them on the Shore Road. The car, a white Vauxhall Astra, stopped, two men alighted from it and stabbed one of the three men with a knife, slashing his hand as he put it up to defend himself. It is clear that this attack was intended to kill rather than injure.

One of the men, Liam Hughes (24), a father-of-one, was knifed in the hand as he tried to defend himself from a man who attempted repeatedly to stab him with a machete-type knife with a blade around 10 inches long.

Before Christmas 2003 another nationalist was attacked by loyalists at the Boundary Bar and was so badly beaten he lost an eye and was close to death. These attacks in Bawnmore are nothing new.

In this recent attack the loyalists were able to make good their escape.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2004: There were reports of a bomb at Maghaberry jail, said to have been found in the visiting area. Visits were stopped and the scare was later found to be a hoax.

In the evening there were reports that British army foot patrols were on the ground in a number of areas of north Belfast. Occupation forces were seen in the Oldpark and Cliftonville areas.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2004: It was reported that the UVF in south Belfast had claimed that one of their top men had been stood down. The loyalist death squad, better known for their sectarianism against nationalists, have in recent months and weeks been involved in race attacks. These have become an embarrassment to the UVF's front men in the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) and this is believed to be the reason the man has been stood down. Saturday, February 7, 2004. A bomb scare in Dundela Avenue in east Belfast caused the area to be closed off for a number of hours. The scare later turned out to be nothing.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2004: A fire broke out in the Crumlin Road courthouse. When the Fire Brigade and British colonial police the RUC/PSNI went to the scene they were attacked by loyalist youths. One of them was hit in the head with a bottle.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2004: The establishment newspaper, the Irish News, launched an attack on Republican Sinn Féin. Republicans will always carry the slogan that was painted on the walls during the hunger strikes of 1980 and 1981, 'Irish News, Bad News'. This establishment paper that has carried advertisements calling on Ireland's youth to join the British Occupation Forces at the behest of the British Establishment, now at the behest of the pro-Stormont parties, the SDLP's Alban Maginness and the UUP's Fred Cobain, launched an attack on Republican Sinn Féin and SAOIRSE-Irish Freedom. The establishment paper targeted advertisements for Cumann na mBan, formed in April 1914, and whose Volunteers took part in the Easter Rising 1916, an organisation which has been to the fore in all aspects of the struggle ever since and for Na Fianna Éireann, the Republican Scouting Movement founded by Countess Markievicz in 1909. Who would be surprised by this, certainly not Republicans. This paper has been an establishment rag since its foundation.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2004: It was reported that the RUC/PSNI, the military wing of unionism and now it seems the SDLP, were investigating the Republican Movement's paper SAOIRSE. While there is little doubt that the British police will head any campaign against the Republican voice and free speech, any attempt to silence the paper will be met with resistance. As has always been the case the Republican voice will be heard.

Nationalists living in the Ardoyne, Oldpark Road, Cliftonville and Antrim Road areas of north Belfast have voiced concern after known loyalists were spotted in these areas over the past number of days.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2004: Loyalists attacked and set fire to a house of a nationalist family on the Springfield Road around 5am. There is no doubt that this was an attempt to murder this family, the time picked to find the family asleep. It was also reported that two youths were seen running into the nearby loyalist Springfield Parade.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2004: A large crowd of Occupation Forces descended into the nationalist Ardoyne area of north Belfast. This force was reported to have been in the area for some time before moving into the back of shops at the Flax Centre in Ardoyne Road. This area was blocked off for a number of hours as Occupation Forces carried out a raid. Crown Forces later claimed to have found a gun, bullets and pipe bombs and to have arrested one person.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2004: Loyalists from the Glenbryn area of north Belfast carried out a number of sectarian attacks on nationalist homes in the Cliftondene area of the Oldpark Road. In one of the attacks the house of a woman aged 105 years was attacked and a number of windows broken. The woman herself was so badly shocked by the attack on her home that she was taken into care overnight. A grandson later said that bricks came through the living room window that was used by his grandmother as a bedroom. Those who attacked the house would have known this as, because of her 105th birthday, the woman had made the news and papers last year. Such a shock could have led to her death. Across the street a number of bricks were thrown through the window of another nationalist family home. These were followed by a paint bomb which covered most of the living room and everything in it. A number of other houses were also attacked by the sectarian loyalist bigots who as always made good their escape. The RUC/PSNI patrols, very common in this area, were nowhere to be seen during the attacks. Later in the night, a bomb scare resulted in parts of Jamaica Street, Etna Drive and Brompton Park in Ardoyne being closed off and people put out of their homes. This turned out to be a hoax.

A number of nationalist homes were petrol bombed by loyalists in the Cliftonpark Avenue area of north Belfast around a mile away from the earlier attacks at Cliftondene.

Earlier a blast bomb was found in the loyalist York Road, north Belfast. Occupation Forces claimed the bomb was ready for use, no doubt against a nationalist target.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2004: It was disclosed that the 105-year-old woman whose house was attacked the previous night was herself hit in the side by one of a number of bricks thrown through her window by loyalists. The original report that Mrs Jane Crudden was uninjured in the attack was untrue. The attack on Mrs Crudden and her home was only one in a number of attacks carried out that night by loyalists. Seven nationalist homes had been attacked with petrol and paint bombs.

Across the street from Mrs Crudden a nationalist woman was hit by paint bombs which were thrown through her living room window. The paint hit everything in the room and it was clear what the outcome would have been if they had used a petrol bomb.

Also in the Cliftondene area off the Oldpark Road a number of other nationalist homes were hit. The attacks were well planned and orchestrated.

Not long after these attacks loyalists carried out attacks less than a mile away. This time a number of nationalist families had lucky escapes when their homes were targeted by loyalist petrol bombers in Cliftonpark Avenue. Here young nationalist families with young children fell victim to the loyalist bigots. It was mere luck that more people were not injured and more dam- age done.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2004: There were reports of a man being kidnapped from Kelly's Bar in Belfast city centre. The RUC/PSNI claimed that an unmarked car rammed a blue van near Millfield around 6pm and found a number of men inside it, one of whom was badly beaten. There were four other men in the van and two others were said to have run off. The badly beaten man was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital and the other four were arrested. Local reports said the badly beaten man was a man who had been threatened by the Provisionals and was named as Bobby Tohill. Other men in the van were said to be wellknown Provisionals. The Millfield area was sealed off by British Occupation Forces.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2004: It was confirmed that the badly beaten man who was taken from a van the previous night was indeed Bobby Tohill who had been threatened by the Provisionals. He had claimed in a number of papers a few months ago that the Provisionals were going to kill him. Six men were being held by the RUC/PSNI over the kidnapping of Bobby Tohill.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2004: Bobby Tohill, the west Belfast man who was badly beaten by a number of men and abducted on Friday, February 20 claimed that it was the Provos who carried out the attack but stated he would not stand in a British court and point the men out. He was believed to have signed himself out of the Royal Victoria Hospital the previous day. It was reported that four west Belfast men were to appear in court in relation to the attack on Bobby Tohill.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2004: Four men -- Gerard McCrory (32), Liam Rainey (30), Tommy Tolan (32) and Harry Fitzsimmons (35) -- appeared at Belfast magistrates' court on charges relating to the kidnapping of Bobby Tohill.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2004: UDA claims that they are to "extend their ceasefire" were dismissed by nationalists as rubbish. One nationalist living on Alliance Avenue in north Belfast said, "How can these people say they are extending something that never was there to extend in the first place? It's just nonsense! Ask the 105-year-old woman up in Cliftondene about their ceasefire. It's nonsense!"

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2004: A bomb scare in west Belfast turned out to be centred around a WWII bomb. The scare took place near a health centre on the Stewartstown Road. The bomb itself was believed to have been dropped during the Belfast Blitz. British Occupation Forces carried out what they called a controlled explosion.

A pipe bomb was found outside the Alexandra Bar, York Street in north Belfast around 2am. Sammy Duddy of the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG), a front for the UDA, who have an office just across the road where the bomb was found said the bomb was the work of someone not happy with the groups' process along the peaceful route. It is clear that this attack points to loyalists themselves, just another in a number of such attacks lately.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2004: There were reports of a shot being fired at a house in the Lower Falls area in west Belfast. It is believed a bullet went through a back door. No one in the house was injured.

There were also reports of trouble in the Turf Lodge area of west Belfast. Youths were said to have attacked the British colonial police force, the RUC/PSNI.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2004: A former Republican prisoner, now a taxi-driver in south Belfast, said that a loyalist gang tried to drag him out of his car as he dropped off a passenger in the Ormeau Road area. He recognised one of the men as a member of the UDA/UFF loyalist death squad and managed to drive off.

He said "I recognised one of the passengers in the car as a UDA man. He was shouting in my direction. They got out of the car and ran around in front of my car.

MARCH, 2004

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2004: A shooting in the Rathcoole Estate, where one man was shot in the leg, is believed to have been carried out by loyalists.

SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 2004: A number of nationalist homes and cars, were attacked by loyalists in the Charnwood Ave, Cavehill Rd and Westland Rd areas at around 7.30pm where windows were smashed and the cars wrecked.

MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2004: Daniel Anderson of Newport Court, who it was alleged kept a hand gun for Johnny Adair's C Coy Shankill Rd, was sentenced to a year in a young offenders centre.

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2004: The ground around Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Secondary school in the loyalist Ballysallin area of north Belfast were found to have LVF slogans cut into them. For 20 years the school has been a target of loyalist sectarian attacks, including being bombed and burned.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2004: Slogans were again cut into the ground s around Our Lady of Mercy school after they had been filled in the night before. Easy targets such as the school will never be free of loyalist sectarian bigotry.

On Wednesday night four shots were fired at the home of Johnny Adair's nephew. It is believed that the shooting is part of the ongoing loyalist infighting. It seems that the shooting may be a warning from the UDA gang under the control of Andre Shoukri who will be released on Friday.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2004: Racist leaflets that were distributed round south Belfast are believed to be the work of the UVF. The leaflets attacked the Chinese community in south Belfast and were headed "Yellow Invasion". The leaflets called on loyalists to "Fight Back" - clearly a call for attacks on the Chinese community.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2004: Andre Shoukri walked free from Maghaberry Prison after having served less than a year for possession of a weapon. A number of UDA men, who had turned up to greet him, threatened reporters before driving off at high speed.

MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2004: Heavy Brit/RUC/PSNI Mobile patrols throughout the day in most areas.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2004: There was trouble in several areas on St Patrick's Day. In the city centre there was trouble near Donegal Place. The RUC/PSNI claimed one of their members was hit with a bottle. It was also claimed that several people were lifted. Trouble also broke out at Peters Hill where loyalists and nationalists confronted each other at the bottom of the Shankill Rd.

It is believed that loyalist youths gathered here to confront people returning from the St Patrick's Day gathering at Belfast City Hall. Cars were also damaged in the area.

At around 10pm it was reported that a bomb had been left in a car outside the Menagerie Bar in south Belfast. The area was closed off for a time while Brit occupation forces carried out what they claimed were controlled explosions. It was disclosed that singer Shane McGowan was to perform in the Menagerie Bar. The car later turned out to have a bomb in it believed to be made up of a number of pipe bombs.

Also during the night a 17-year-old catholic youth walking along the Cliftonville Rd in north Belfast was attacked and badly beaten by a number of men who jumped out of two cars near the shops. After the attack the men jumped back into the cars and drove away.

It is unclear at this stage who carried out the attack but there are fears that it may have been sectarian.

There were other reports of minor trouble in several areas of the city.

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2004: A house, owned by a pensioner, that stands within the grounds of the Catholic Mercy primary school on the Crumlin Rd was attacked and a number of windows were broken at around 8.30pm. Fortunately the pensioner was unhurt.

FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2004: A report of a bomb scare at a bus stop at Fourth River Rd turned out to be a hoax.

Nationalists living on the Ardoyne Rd in north Belfast once again fell victim to sectarian loyalist bigots when their homes were attacked with paint bombs during the night.

MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2004: It is now only coming to light that, yesterday eve when a family returned home to Kelvin Parade in the Cliftonville area after a day out, the family cat was hanging on the garage door with the words K Coy UVF. The cat's paws had been cut off and left on a windowsill.

FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2004: RUC/PSNI and Brit Army occupation forces moved into the Bone area of north Belfast around 10am after it was claimed that a bomb had been left in the green cable tel box in Glenview St off the Oldpark Rd.

A number of families were forced to leave their homes for a time. An occupation force bomb squad was called into the area. They were backed up by a large crowd of RUC/PSNI and Brits in Land Rovers who ringed the whole area for over an hour. The Brits claimed the bomb was a hoax though local people claim they saw them remove a pipe bomb.

It has been disclosed today that the pipe bomb found at the Menagerie Bar on St Patrick's Day was of the same kind as that found at the Auld Lammas Fair in Ballycastle in August 2001. It is now known that the bomb in Belfast was not meant for the Menagerie Bar. The target was to be the St Patricks Day Carnival in Belfast City centre. The UVF were responsible.

SUNDAY, MARCH 28, 2004: The house of a nationalist family in Westland Gardens, north Belfast was attacked in the afternoon by loyalist youths. A number of windows in the house were broken in the sectarian attack. There was also an attack on a house on the Ardoyne Rd.

TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2004: The attack that took place on St Matthew's Chapel was the latest in a long line of attacks. Paint has been thrown at the chapel and windows broken on many occasions.

APRIL, 2004

SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2004: Reports today of a shooting in the Ballymurphy area of west Belfast and that a number of men have been arrested.

SUNDAY, APRIL 4, 2004: It is believed that the shooting in Ballymurphy yesterday was not political.

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2004: The RUC/PSNI has claimed to have taken down a number of LVF flags in east Belfast. It is believed the flags were removed because of tension within loyalism rather than that of sectarianism. A young nationalist family were forced to flee their north Belfast home at Graymount after a death threat from the UDA/UFF loyalist death squad.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2004: A search being carried out by the occupation forces on a warehouse in Belfast harbour is still ongoing today. A part of the harbour around the warehouse has been closed off since Sunday. It is claimed that the warehouse has been used as part of loyalist gun and drugs running.

FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 2004: A Republican man, named locally as Seán Mackin, was reported as being lifted from a car against his will in the Grosvenor Road area of west Belfast. It happened at around 2pm and it is believed he is being questioned about the shooting of an RUC man 21 years ago.

SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2004: It is believed that the man arrested yesterday has been released.

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2004: Monday was witness to a sectarian Orange march being forced past the Ardoyne shops against the wishes of the nationalist community.

The Orangemen marched past the shops at about 8.30pm under cover from the occupation forces RUC/PSNI and the British Army.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2004: There were reports today that occupation forces found pipe bomb parts at Ballyhill Rd in Belfast.

FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2004: There are reports of a spate of attacks in the Ligoniel area of north Belfast. Nationalist in the area have claimed a number of cars have been burned out by the UDA. Loyalists in the Ballysillan have claimed that a youth from the area was beaten by nationalists. This is so far unconfirmed.

Trouble was also reported from the Whitewell area of north Belfast. Loyalists have claimed that a number of cars were damaged by nationalists. In the same area a catholic family were forced out of their home because of ongoing loyalist attacks.

SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2004: Around 1am in the morning a 29-year-old man, walking in the Fortwilliam area of north Belfast, was attacked and beaten in a sectarian attack. He was treated in hospital for his injuries.

MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2004: It was reported today that a letter bomb has been sent to Peter Robinson of the DUP. It was not known who sent the letter bomb which did not go off. There are also reports of another being sent to the so-called Policing Board at Belmont Ave, Belfast.

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2004: Reports today state that a number of petrol bombs were thrown at nationalist homes in the Whitewell area of north Belfast.

FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2004: It was disclosed that an attack on a man in the Fortwilliam area in north Belfast was sectarian.

The attack as reported took place on April 18 around 1am on a nationalist postal worker who was walking home after leaving a friend's house in the Glandore area. This was one more in a number of loyalist attacks. The 29-year-old man was walking from Little America to his own home in Glandore Drive when two men in their twenties rushed at him shouting "Fenian Bastard". They hit him about the head knocking him unconscious before making off, leaving the nationalist for dead on the ground. When he awoke his ear was practically severed and his skull was cracked open.

In the hospital later surgeons managed to save his ear with 32 stitches. The man also had the wound on his head treated with staples and stitches. The man said later he thought his ear had been bitten but was told that it was done with a sharp brick. The Glandore man was told he will be scarred for life.

SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2004: It was also reported that shots were fired at a house in east Belfast. Information on the shooting was sketchy and it was not known if the attack had political overtones.

TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2004: Children on the Oldpark Road targeted a British Army Land Rover with stones and bottles. The Occupation Forces Land Rover was targeted as it drove through the nationalist Bone around 9pm. The Brits drove away at speed, recklessly endangering anyone walking in the area.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2004: It was reported that loyalists in south Belfast were handing out and posting leaflets calling for Catholics to be forced off the Whitewell Square area. The leaflet stated that a meeting was to be held in the local Orange Hall in Sandy Row.

Hundreds of loyalists took part in a sectarian march in the Sandy Row area of south Belfast. Loyalists have made a number of clearly untrue statements claiming Republicans and nationalists have moved into their area and were attacking loyalists. For those of us who know the loyalists' stronghold of Sandy Row these claims would be laughable if they weren't so dangerous for nationalists who live in the surrounding university area and those living at the Whitehall Square apartments.

Loyalists and unionist councilors made no bones about taking part in the sectarian anti-nationalist march. One of these, Bob Stoker, was to the fore in inflaming sectarian hatred, not only did he refuse to condemn anti-nationalist leaflets but he went further and said he would like to see them [nationalists] leave the area voluntarily. He said that Sandy Row was loyalist and they didn't want Republicans/nationalists in their area.

It should always be noted that in loyalist sectarian bigot-thinking all nationalists are Republican. They believe by using these terms they can be seen as less sectarian, that is the thinking of the loyalist bigot. It is clear that loyalists are out to inflame tensions with the Orange marching season close. The question is being asked by nationalists, is this an overall plan and is the targeting of nationalists with this sectarian march the opening of a new front for the loyalist bigots.

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2004: It has been reported that six people have been intimidated from their homes by loyalists in north Belfast. The six who live in three separate flats in Glandore Avenue, said they are moving out after loyalists attacks on their homes and a brutal assault, and just can't take living in the area anymore. They also said that in the latest attack a friend had been assaulted by a gang of up to 30 drunken loyalist youths at the weekend and then they had their windows broken by the same youths. They said that enough is enough. They have been living in Glandore for three years but in the past couple of months the attacks gave worsened. After this attack the RUC/PSNI drove past the drunken youths to the victim's house. Upon arrival the victim said he could identify those who carried out the attack on him but the RUC didn't want to know. This came as no surprise. The Glandore area has been the target of loyalists for years.

MAY, 2004

SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2004: Another sectarian attack was carried out by loyalists in north Belfast. The nationalist victim of this latest attack wished to remain anonymous as he feared reprisal. He said he was attacked with a machete in the head as he walked home. The attack was so vicious and he lost so much blood that doctors said later he could have died.

The attack took place around 10.30pm. The victim had been at a party and was walking along the Cliftonville Road when he was attacked. He later said "I was walking home from my friend's house when this happened. I wasn't feeling well and thought I'd be better off at home so I left early.

"I saw this car pull up and saw three people in the car. They got out and shouted 'get the Fenian bastard' and slashed my head. I don't remember much after that but my friend who came down from the party said that I was staggering. He told me he had to get hold of me and hold me straight."

The victim's ear was severed from the eardrum right down to several inches near the based of his skull. He was sent to the Mater Hospital and then transferred to the City Hospital for an operation which was carried out two days later.

FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2004: Sectarian graffiti was removed from the predominately nationalist apartment block at the center of disputes in the Sandy Row area of Belfast.

SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2004: Locals living near the Giant's Foot at the Beechmount Leisure Centre off the Falls Road in west Belfast claimed a bomb exploded in the area of Beechmount Park around 10pm. Further reports claimed the bomb went off in a car and that someone may have been injured.

SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2004: Occupation forces claimed that after moving into the Beechview Park area of west Belfast they found signs in the area that a bomb had exploded.

TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2004: There were a number of bomb scares in west Belfast which later turned out to be hoaxes. One of these was at the office of the British Policing Board member Alex Atwood of the SDLP.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2004: A loyalist sectarian gang tried to force their way into McClure's Street, a mainly-nationalist area in the lower Ormeau Road.

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2004: An Irish nursery school in Poleglass, Belfast was targeted in an arson attack for the second time in little over a year.

FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2004: British army foot patrols were to be seen in the Oldpark Road area of north Belfast in the early afternoon. It was reported that a shooting in south Belfast on May 13 was connected to tension within loyalism. It has become clear in recent weeks that tensions between the UVF and LVF are running high.

The latest shooting took place in the Purdysburn area and up to five shots were fired at a house in Best Hill View. It is common knowledge that the LVF has received a recent shipment of arms. SDLP member Carmel Hanna's South Belfast home was targeted by loyalists who smashed the windows of the house with ball bearings.

TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2004: There were reports of a shooting in east Belfast. One person was believed to have been shot dead. The man, Brian Stewart, was said to be a leading member of the LVF. The shooting was believed to have been carried out by the UVF. Loyalists attacked a number of nationalist homes in the Bawnmore Estate in north Belfast. A number of homes were hit with red, white and blue paint bombs in the attack. No one was injured and some of the houses were damaged.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2004: There were reports of a petrol bomb attack on a house on the Antrim Road. A petrol bomb was thrown through a window of the house around 2am. There were a number of people in the house but no one was injured. There were reports that the British-backed loyalist death squad the LVF threatened to kill members of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). The PUP are the front for the loyalist deaths squad the UVF. The UVF have been blamed for the killing of leading LVF man Brian Stewart in east Belfast on May 18.

SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2004: There was a bomb attack on a house in Bloomfield Court in east Belfast. The attack, believed to be part of the ongoing loyalist feud, damaged an adjoining house as well as the house targeted and was no doubt carried out by the UVF as the target was a man known to have links with the LVF. This was the second of two at the weekend in east Belfast, both carried out by the UVF. This phase of the feud started on May 18 when the UVF shot dead leading LVF man Brian Stewart. Since then UVF front men David Ervine and Billy Hutchinson have claimed they have been informed the LVF have threatened to kill them both.

SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2004: A shooting which took place that night saw a house hit a number of times. It is believed that two LVF men been carried out the attack and took off on a mortgage. Two petrol bombs were thrown at the RUC/PSNI barracks on the Springfield Road in west Belfast. The RUC/PSNI later claimed there was no damage or injury in the attack.

MONDAY, MAY 24, 2004: There was another attack in east Belfast. The attack, said to be part of the ongoing loyalist feud, saw a bomb thrown into a house in London Street. It is believed at least one house was badly dam- aged. There were also reports of a bomb being found in the loyalist Ballybean estate.

TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2004: There were reports of a man being arrested in the Suffolk area of west Belfast. The RUC/PSNI claimed the man was arrested and a gun found after a car drove through a road block. Trouble broke out in the loyalist Templemore Avenue area around 5pm. It was believed there was fighting between UVF and LVF supporters. A number of houses, two cars and a van were damaged and windows were broken, another incident of many since the start of this latest loyalist feud.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2004: A number of reports were received of more trouble in loyalist areas of east Belfast, again part of the ongoing loyalist feud. There were also reports of a bomb being thrown into a house and claims by the RUC/PSNI that they had uncovered a number of guns in the loyalist Ballybeen estate.

THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2004: It was reported that the LVF had offered the UVF a truce.

FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2004: The LVF called a ceasefire in the feud between them and the UVF. No statement had come from the UVF to date. They have already called on the LVF to disband. The latest feud is believed to be over drugs and ground. There have been a number of attacks in this latest feud between these loyalist gangs. A hoax device was left out- side the Belfast offices of Alex Attwood for the second time in the month.

JUNE, 2004

THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2004: It was reported that the gas cylinder bomb had been left at the office of the group known as Community Restorative Justice (CRJ). It was not known why or who may have left the bomb.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2004: There were reports of a number of houses being raided in the Ligoniel area of north Belfast. It was also reported that children were stoning British Occupation Forces in the area.

Earlier in the day a post office was set on fire and a number of men were arrested.

North Belfast man Joseph Haughey denied allegations published on a US website claiming that he was a police informer. The Cryptome.org site was responsible last year for exposing the informer known as Stakeknife.

THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2004: It was reported that a man had been shot in the Lisburn area, just outside Belfast, as he left children off at a primary school. Further reports stated that the man, named locally as Kevin McAlorum, had died. Originally from north Belfast, though he had not lived there for a number of years, Kevin McAlorum was said to have been on the run from the INLA.

SUNDAY, JUNE 6, 2004: A nationalist man and his partner were targeted in a sectarian attack in the Brompton Park area of Ardoyne. A number of loyalists came into the area and it was thought they had been there for some time, leading people to believe the gang were nationalists coming to a local club. As the victims walked past the loyalist gang they were set upon and beaten. The nationalist man, who fought back, took the worst of the beating but managed to give almost as good as he got. The gang then made their way off across the Crumlin Road and into the loyalist Woodvale area. The victims of the attack were later treated in hospital.

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2004: Two nationalist youths were targeted in another sectarian attack in the early hours of the morning less than a mile away from Brompton Park. The two youths were walking up the Oldpark Road when a number of loyalists stepped out and tried to pick a fight. The youths, seeing themselves outnumbered, rushed up the Oldpark towards the Bone. By that stage a crowd of loyalists had gathered and the youths noticed a car coming after them. As they reached the nationalist Bone, the car pulled up near them, obviously trying to cut them off from safety. By now nationalists from the Bone had gone to the lads' aid and the loyalists made their way back down the Oldpark Road.

This is the second sectarian loy- alist attack to have taken place within a matter of hours. There were reports also of a number of petrol bombs being thrown in east Belfast. Tension is growing in Belfast with nationalists in north Belfast finding themselves once again in the firing line.

TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2004: Loyalists erected sectarian flags at the Woodvale Road, facing the Ardoyne shops on the Crumlin Road.

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2004: There were reports of ongoing attacks on nationalist homes in the Alliance Avenue area of north Belfast. Stoning started earlier in the night from the loyalist Glen Bryn area and the stones, bottles and half-bricks rained down on the back of the nationalist homes, coming over the so-called British-made peace line. There were no reports of damage or injury, the reason for this being that in the course of such a loyalist onslaught nationalist people move to the front of their homes and stay there until the attack ends, something they have to do all too often.

MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2004: Loyalists erected sectarian flags on the Oldpark Road in north Belfast, including the Butcher's Apron (the Union Jack) and UFF/UDA flags. There was a confrontation when loyalists tried to put a number of flags up near the nationalist park on Cliftonpark Avenue. Nationalists also claimed the sectarian flags were put up under the watchful eye of known UDA members.

THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2004: It was reported that a Republican prisoner being held in Maghaberry prison had died in the City Hospital in Belfast. He was named as Donald Knox, in his 20s, a native of Armagh. He had been serving a sentence in Maghaberry for possession of weapons and had taken part in last year's protest for political status. Nationalist youths were reported to have stoned RUC/PSNI patrols in west Belfast.

FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2004: Tension was high in nationalist areas of north Belfast as yet another so-called Tour of the North sectarian Orange parade was forced upon them. British army helicopters flew overhead all through the day, the noise of the machines so loud that it was hard to be heard even when shouting.

Around 6.45pm hundreds of Occupation Forces descended on the Oldpark Road at the nationalist Bone, Crumlin Road, close to the Ardoyne shops, Hillview Road which runs to the Crumlin Road from the Oldpark Road, the Antrim Road, North Queen Street at New Lodge Road, Unity Flats. All of these nationalist areas were ringed and blocked off by British Occupation Forces Land Rovers, jeeps, lorries, unmarked cars, foot patrols and they were in turn backed up by the Provo police, not yet wearing the Crown uniform but that is only a matter of time. The Provos were witnessed in the nationalist areas moving nation- alist youths on.

On the Oldpark Road there were a number of attacks on the occupation Forces but these were stopped by the Provo police who made the youths move on. Any attack by nationalists on Crown Forces were short with the youths playing cat and mouse with the Provos. A job that would have been carried out by British Occupation Forces is now taken over by Provisional police men and women.

Surprised? No! Also for a number of hours the Occupation Forces claimed they blocked off the Oldpark Road because they said there was a bomb near Rosapenna Street. Nationalists question this claim which they see as nothing but a ploy to block off the Oldpark Road for the sectarian Tour of the North. There were also reports that a crowd from the Tour of the North march broke their way into the Mater Hospital on the Crumlin Road and caused damage. Between 30 and 50 loyalists were said to have gone into the hospital looking for nationalists.

SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2004: There were reports of a bomb scare in the Cliftonville Road/Cliftonpark Avenue area of north Belfast. The area was closed off by British Forces.

It was confirmed that the crowd which broke their way into the Mater Hospital were indeed part of the sectarian Orange march known as the Tour of the North. Around 40 loyalists forced their way into the hospital with many more outside, all shouting anti-Catholic, sectarian slogans. Many of those who went on a rampage through the hospital were wearing wearing band uniforms. Patients and staff alike in the hospital had to be locked into wards and others had to take cover where they could as loyalists abused and threatened them. It was also clear that the loyalists went into the hospital looking for nationalists. Twenty patients had to be moved because of the loyalist rampage.

A bomb scare which caused part of the Clintonville Road to be closed off for some time was later found to be a hoax.

TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2004: Crumlin Road courthouse was set on fire. The building had been closed for some time and it was not known if the fire had political overtones.

JULY, 2004

THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2004: There were a number of bomb scares in Belfast in the morning. Later the RUC/PSNI claimed all were cleared and found to be hoaxes.

There was tension in east Belfast as a sectarian Orange march passed close to the nationalist Short Strand. Nationalists in the area staged a protest and there were no reports of trouble. The Orange sectarian march was overseen by hundreds of Occupation Forces, backed up in turn by the Provisional police.

FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2004: A mini-July 12th march took place in Belfast and there were no reports of trouble. Once again it has become clear that the DUP is an anti-nationalist sectarian party. The latest comments of DUP Belfast Councillor Ruth Patterson, who said that Catholic residents living in the Whitehall Square who are offended by loyalist flags can go to the 26 Counties. The comments came after nationalists living in Whitehall Square area apartments voiced fears about sectarian flags flying from the apartment block, many of them Sandy Row UDA/UFF loyalist death squad flags. It should be remembered that if the Stormont set-up is forced on the people of the Occupied Six Counties again, which is very likely the DUP leader will be First Minister.

MONDAY, JULY 5, 2004: It was reported that a man's body had been found in a park in south Belfast at Lower Crescent in the University area. It was not known at this stage whether the man was a victim of an attack or if there were political over-tones.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2004: It was reported that there was a bomb scare at Glengormley Village just outside north Belfast. A device was said to have been found near an Orange arch and the village was closed off. Tension was high as the countdown to the Twelfth of July got underway. Nationalists living in north Belfast expected to witness thousands of loyalists marching in the sectarian parades of the bigots.

The Ligoniel Road was blockaded by a loyalist mob in the evening, cutting off nationalist Ligoniel from other nationalist areas of Ardoyne and the Bone in Oldpark. A number of nationalists who had tried to make it to their homes in the Ligoniel area were threatened and attacked by loyalists. Drivers of cars had to turn back and use back roads just as dangerous as the Ligoniel Road that was now blockaded by the loyalist mob who were able to carry out their blockade, threaten and attack nationalists under the watchful eye of the RUC/PSNI.

Ligoniel is a small nationalist area at the top of the Crumlin Road that has suffered loyalist attacks and blockades many times before. Sometimes the area has been cut off for days after loyalists had felled trees near the Ligoniel Park. This year Ligoniel witnessed once again the return of the sectarian Orange bigots, nothing new for the people of this small outlying nationalist area.

THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2004: The loyalists once again blockaded Ligoniel Road from about 4.30pm. This continued for a number of hours and nationalist drivers were once again the target for loyalist threats and attacks on their cars. Loyalists stated that the blockade would continue until the British Parades Commission overturned its decision prohibiting bands and loyalists to return through the nationalist part of the Crumlin Road at the Ardoyne shops. These sectarian blockades had the full support of the Orange Order.

It should be noted that once again the DUP were playing a part in these anti-nationalist protests. The front man for the Orange Order in north Belfast is Nelson McCausland of the DUP, better known in recent times for his support for the Holy Cross blockade. McCausland has also stated the Orange Order will also stage a number of protests if the Orange march is not allowed to return past the Ardoyne shops. It should be pointed out that that parade will be led by top loyalists from the UDA/UFF, UVF etc. Nelson McCausland did not state what the protests would be but it was believed that they would consist of blocking roads in and around Belfast. The Orange Order threatened the people living in nationalist areas, at this stage in word, people will have to wait to see the deed . Opinion within nationalist areas of Belfast is that the body known as the Parades Commission would overturn their decision and the march would be forced through the nationalist part of the Crumlin Road, as was witnessed on the Springfield Road a few weeks ago.

FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2004: Loyalists again blockaded the Ligoniel Road forcing nationalist drivers to take back roads to get into the small nationalist Ligoniel area.

SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2004: The loyalist bonfires burned as the flames of sectarian Orange bigotry and hate filled the skies over many parts of the Occupied Counties. In the loyalist part of the Westland Road area, north Belfast at a street party, paid for, it was believed, by Belfast City Council. Members of the UDA/UFF claiming to be from the loyalist gangs "3rd Batt K Coy" put on a show of strength and read out a statement threatening to take their war to Republicans and fired a volley of shots into the air. It was also believed that a show of strength from both the UVF and UDA/UFF took place in parts of the Shankill Road in west Belfast.

There were also reports of loyalists fighting with each other around bonfires in a number of areas in Belfast. Shots were said to have been fired from a car near a bonfire in east Belfast. Earlier in the night, around 8.30pm, four petrol bombs were thrown at an RUC/PSNI Land Rover in a nationalist part of the Oldpark Road in north Belfast.

MONDAY, JULY 12, 2004: Thousands of loyalists took to the streets of the Six Occupied Counties as Orangemen staged the march of the bigots. In north Belfast Orangemen, under the cover of the RUC/PSNI, British army and Provo Police, paraded past the nationalist part of the Crumlin Road at the Ardoyne shops early in the morning. Nationalists staged a protest but were outnumbered by the British forces. Tension stayed high throughout the day as nationalists in Ardoyne waited to be blocked into their own areas by Crown occupation forces.

As the day went on and word was already out that the loyalists would be allowed to pass back up the road, tension was at an all-time high. As the RUC/PSNI and the British army made ready to blockade the Ardoyne area, the Provisionals were also making ready. People in the Ardoyne area have stated that throughout the day carloads of Provisionals were brought into the area, many of them well-known Provisionals and many from west Belfast, clearly brought into the area in a policing role. Around 5pm hundreds of RUC/PSNI, British army backed up by Land Rovers, jeeps, lorries, Saxton armoured cars and water can- nons moved into the nationalist part of the Crumlin Road at the Ardoyne shops. The area was then sealed off.

Loyalists had gathered at Twaddell around 3.50pm as high steel barriers were put in place by the British army across the front of the Ardoyne shops. People were remarking that the barrier was a steel wall. As the nationalist people of Ardoyne were now prisoners in their own area, around 1,000 loyalists had now gathered at Ardoyne Road near Glen Bryn and Hesketh Road, and were also moving across Hesketh to the Crumlin Road which they had now blocked, cutting off Ingledale Park and Summerdale Park. Both streets have a number of nationalist families living in them.

Around 7pm as nationalists started to gather at the Ardoyne shops as did British occupation Forces and the Provo Police. The British army left loyalists at Hesketh and moved down towards the Ardoyne shops and the Provo Police lined themselves along British-RUC/PSNI lines, the Provos facing the nationalists with backs to the Occupation Forces. A number of buses carrying loyalist bandsmen drove up past the Ardoyne shops. The buses stopped and bandsmen got out at Hesketh Road. The bands formed up and began playing sectarian party songs.

At about 8pm the first stones were thrown by loyalists and nationalists returned stones and bottles. Orangemen marched past Ardoyne shops followed by around 500 loyalists singing party songs and sectarian songs about how they have beaten Ardoyne. These loyalists were led by top UDA leaders such as William Borland, UDA/UFF and others. Sectarian loyalists flags were carried. Nationalists pushed forward meeting the first line of Occupation Forces, the Provo police. Stones were thrown by nationalist youths and the Provos moved on the stone throwers. Some are hit around the head by the Provos and told to "f. . . off". Nationalists were becoming more and more angry shouting at the Provo Police men and women who were holding the line for the Orange State. The Provos were now finding it hard to hold the line as nationalists started to stand up to the Provo oppression and attack the Brits and RUC/PSNI. British Stormont MLA Gerry Kelly moved to get the nationalist protesters pushed back. The Provos were told to go back to west Belfast where they came from.

Kelly was shouted down and a crowd of nationalist people managed to cut off a number of Brits at Ardoyne Road and hand to hand fighting took place. One Brit was being pulled away by nationalists as the others were being beaten by a nationalist crowd. The Brits were relieved of their shields and batons as well as other military gear. Unconfirmed reports claimed an S-80 was taken and returned. The British soldiers remained under attack at Ardoyne Road and the Brit who was pulled into the nationalist crowd was saved by the Provo Police. The Provisionals were seen to be attacking their own community and pulling nationalists away from British lines. However they lost control and nationalist wrecked two British army jeeps, a tree being used to carry out an attack on British army and RUC/PSNI lines.

Occupation Forces lines were under heavy attack and the Provo Police ran to their aid and in sickening scenes the Provos once more attacked nationalist protesters. Loyalists on the Ardoyne Road near Glen Bryn were using fireworks and targeting nationalists with rockets. The loyalists moved down the Ardoyne Road towards the nationalists in Alliance Avenue. Nationalist defenders moved to confront the loyalists but were confronted themselves with lines of Provo Police men. Gerry Kelly, British MLA, got on his soap box and was shouted down by nationalists, many of whom also booed him. Not a happy man, Kelly gave orders to have cameras removed. Nationalists did not hide their anger at Kelly and his policemen.

Around 9pm with tension very high rioting was going on at Brompton Park and the RUC/PSNI used water cannon against national- ists, whose anger had worsened after witnessing the RUC/PSNI surrounding Fr Gary Donegan of Holy Cross Chapel and beating him leaving him battered and bruised.

During the rioting at Brompton Park a new victim of the Orange State, Tommy Clarke, collapsed outside his home there. Tommy Clarke suffered a heart attack and an ambulance which was only a few minutes away was turned away by the RUC/PSNI at a road block at Brompton Park. The ambulance then had to go the long way round the area. This delay by the RUC/PSNI undoubtedly led to Tommy Clarke's death. This latest victim of the State was aged 63 years. The trouble in the area subsided.

It was reported that the Provisionals in talks with the RUC/PSNI asked them to pull back and reassured the Occupation Forces that they would clear away nationalists from the Crumlin Road area, something not new to the Provos. Gerry Kelly, Brit MLA, later claimed he had his hand broken by an RUC/PSNI baton. He didn't hold back his anger when telling reporters and rightly so. After all he and his policemen worked hard for the Orange State on July 12 and that was all the thanks they got. There was little or no sympathy for Gerry Kelly and his policemen, after all they were nothing more than State stormtroopers.

TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2004: Ardoyne was calm but a feeling of anger prevailed among nationalists and tension was high. The Provisionals called a meeting for the area that evening. Nationalist youths attacked and damaged two RUC/PSNI Land Rovers on the Springfield Road in west Belfast in the afternoon. The Land Rovers were so badly damaged they had to be taken off the road.

It was reported that the meeting held in Ardoyne didn't go well for the Provisionals as nationalists once more showed their anger.

THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2004: There was no trouble but some nationalists voiced their fear that they may now be targeted by the Provos after the trouble of July 12 at the Ardoyne Road. Friday, July 16, 2004. The funeral took place of Tommy Clarke from his home in Brompton Park in Ardoyne. Saturday, July 17, 2004. it was reported that a car used in the shoot- ing and wounding of a man at Newtownabbey outside north Belfast was found burned out behind homes in Brompton Park in Ardoyne. The nature of the shooting was not known.

SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2004: It was reported that stones were thrown for a short time at the back of nationalist houses in the Alliance Avenue area.

MONDAY, JULY 19, 2004: It was reported that a number of shots were fired at a house in Cairnshill Road off south Belfast in the Four Winds area. It was believed that a shot gun had been used but it was not known who carried out the attack or the reason for the attack.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2004: It was reported that a number of members of the British army (UDR/RIR) had been moved from several spy- posts around Belfast after documents relating to Republican activists have gone missing.

THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2004: Another racist attack took place in south Belfast. Loyalists used a number of petrol bombs to attack the home of a family of three in Fane Street. One petrol bomb hit the front bedroom window and the other hit the front door. Clearly the loyalists who carried out this attack were out to kill. Mohammad Hossain whose family were the target for this attack said he, his wife and five-year-old child have been the target of 20 attacks from racists.

FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2004: There were reports of yet another racist attack in Belfast. A number of men living in a house in south Belfast found a pipe bomb on a window sill. The men have been the target for loyalist bigots and have left their home.