Two die in 'barbaric' Army attack

Newshound · 03-08-2009, 06:50 AM

Two military personnel are killed at an Army base in County Antrim in Northern Ireland, the first such deaths in 12 years.

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Antaletriangle · 03-08-2009, 09:11 PM

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5870376.ece
Real IRA says it killed soldiers outside barracks in Antrim
David Sharrock

The Real IRA, a dissident republican group behind the Omagh bombing, has claimed responsibility for an attack in which two soldiers were murdered execution-style outside their barracks in Northern Ireland last night.

Masked gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons on a group of four soldiers just outside the Massereene Barracks, Antrim, as they collected pizzas from Domino’s. Two delivery men were also injured in the attack – one is in critical condition.

At least two gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons on the group. They fired one burst, then walked forward and shot the victims as they lay on the ground.

Related Links
IN FULL: Sinn Fein statement on Ulster attack
IN DEPTH: secret Army unit sparked old hatred
TIMELINE: dissident terror in Northern Ireland
The soldiers, from the 38 Engineer Regiment, were dressed in desert fatigues, as they were due to fly to Afghanistan today. Two soldiers were injured and are being treated at Antrim Area hospital.

Chief Superintendent Derek Williamson of the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: “I have no doubt in my mind this was an attempt at mass murder.”

Tonight, using a recognised codename, the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the attack in a call to the Sunday Tribune, an Irish newspaper.

The gunmen were apparently aware that soldiers at the barracks followed a regular routine on Saturday nights when as many as 20 separate orders were made for pizza to be delivered.

Mr Williamson said Domino's in Antrim had received two separate delivery orders from the base at around 9.20pm. The orders were sent out separately and the two delivery men arrived one after the other at 9.40.

“The gunmen, having fired an initial volley of shots, moved forward when people were on the ground and fired additional shots at those people on the ground, so it was a very, very callous and very ruthless attack,” Mr Williamson said.

One of the pizza delivery men wounded in the shooting was named locally as Anthony Watson, 19, who lived in the Antrim area. His condition in hospital is described as “serious”. The condition of the second man, a 32-year-old Pole, is critical.

Police are examining a suspect vehicle abandoned in the nearby town of Randalstown. The car was left at around 11pm last night and police are investigating whether it was the vehicle used by the gunmen.

All sides in Belfast denounced the attack, although Sinn Fein’s condemnation stopped short of expressing sympathy for the soldiers and their families.

Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein president, called the murders "wrong and counter-productive".

He said that it was an attack on the peace process and those responsible "have no support, no strategy to achieve a united Ireland". He said "the logic" of Sinn Fein's position "is that we support the police in the apprehension of those involved in last night's attack".

"This is a terrible reminder of the events of the past," said Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland's First Minister and Democratic Unionist Party leader. He and other politicians vowed that the gunmen would not succeed.

Mr Robinson and the deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have delayed a planned visit to the United States which was due to end next Tuesday with a St Patrick’s Day meeting with President Obama at the White House.

Shaun Woodward, the Northern Ireland Secretary, said it was clear the shooting was not just an opportunist attack.

He rejected any notion that security around the base had been lax when the gunmen struck.

Mr Woodward said the incident while tragic, did not represent a return to Northern Ireland’s dark past and insisted that the peace process would go on and would succeed despite the efforts of the dissidents to destabilise it.

“Northern Ireland is now a different place,” he said.

The Real IRA – a breakaway republican group responsible for the Omagh car bombing in 1998 in which 29 people died – has been rearming and reorganising over the past year.

Last month it abandoned a 330lb car bomb in Castlewellan. The terrorist group said that it had been thwarted in its aim of causing major loss of life at an army base by “last-minute logistical problems”.

Last week Sir Hugh Orde, the PSNI chief constable, said the threat posed by republican terrorists was at a “critical” level. He admitted requesting support from the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR), a special forces unit, to gather intelligence on dissidents.

Asked today whether there was a connection between his warning and the attack, Sir Hugh responded: "I think there is absolutely no connection whatsoever."

Gordon Brown joined with Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen in condemning the attack. "I think the whole country is shocked and outraged at the evil and cowardly attacks on soldiers serving their country.

"We will do everything in our power to make sure that Northern Ireland is safe and secure and I assure you we will bring these murderers to justice,” he said. Mr Cowen said: "A tiny group of evil people cannot and will not undermine the will of the people ... to live in peace together."

The last soldier to be killed in the Troubles was slain in Bessbrook, Co Armagh, where a sniper shot Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick, 23, through the neck as he chatted to a villager at a road checkpoint in February 1997.

03-08-2009, 06:50 AM	#1
Newshound News Bot Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 596	Two die in 'barbaric' Army attack Two military personnel are killed at an Army base in County Antrim in Northern Ireland, the first such deaths in 12 years. More...

03-08-2009, 09:11 PM	#2
Antaletriangle Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: U.K. Posts: 3,380	Re: Two die in 'barbaric' Army attack http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5870376.ece Real IRA says it killed soldiers outside barracks in Antrim David Sharrock The Real IRA, a dissident republican group behind the Omagh bombing, has claimed responsibility for an attack in which two soldiers were murdered execution-style outside their barracks in Northern Ireland last night. Masked gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons on a group of four soldiers just outside the Massereene Barracks, Antrim, as they collected pizzas from Domino’s. Two delivery men were also injured in the attack – one is in critical condition. At least two gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons on the group. They fired one burst, then walked forward and shot the victims as they lay on the ground. Related Links IN FULL: Sinn Fein statement on Ulster attack IN DEPTH: secret Army unit sparked old hatred TIMELINE: dissident terror in Northern Ireland The soldiers, from the 38 Engineer Regiment, were dressed in desert fatigues, as they were due to fly to Afghanistan today. Two soldiers were injured and are being treated at Antrim Area hospital. Chief Superintendent Derek Williamson of the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: “I have no doubt in my mind this was an attempt at mass murder.” Tonight, using a recognised codename, the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the attack in a call to the Sunday Tribune, an Irish newspaper. The gunmen were apparently aware that soldiers at the barracks followed a regular routine on Saturday nights when as many as 20 separate orders were made for pizza to be delivered. Mr Williamson said Domino's in Antrim had received two separate delivery orders from the base at around 9.20pm. The orders were sent out separately and the two delivery men arrived one after the other at 9.40. “The gunmen, having fired an initial volley of shots, moved forward when people were on the ground and fired additional shots at those people on the ground, so it was a very, very callous and very ruthless attack,” Mr Williamson said. One of the pizza delivery men wounded in the shooting was named locally as Anthony Watson, 19, who lived in the Antrim area. His condition in hospital is described as “serious”. The condition of the second man, a 32-year-old Pole, is critical. Police are examining a suspect vehicle abandoned in the nearby town of Randalstown. The car was left at around 11pm last night and police are investigating whether it was the vehicle used by the gunmen. All sides in Belfast denounced the attack, although Sinn Fein’s condemnation stopped short of expressing sympathy for the soldiers and their families. Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein president, called the murders "wrong and counter-productive". He said that it was an attack on the peace process and those responsible "have no support, no strategy to achieve a united Ireland". He said "the logic" of Sinn Fein's position "is that we support the police in the apprehension of those involved in last night's attack". "This is a terrible reminder of the events of the past," said Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland's First Minister and Democratic Unionist Party leader. He and other politicians vowed that the gunmen would not succeed. Mr Robinson and the deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have delayed a planned visit to the United States which was due to end next Tuesday with a St Patrick’s Day meeting with President Obama at the White House. Shaun Woodward, the Northern Ireland Secretary, said it was clear the shooting was not just an opportunist attack. He rejected any notion that security around the base had been lax when the gunmen struck. Mr Woodward said the incident while tragic, did not represent a return to Northern Ireland’s dark past and insisted that the peace process would go on and would succeed despite the efforts of the dissidents to destabilise it. “Northern Ireland is now a different place,” he said. The Real IRA – a breakaway republican group responsible for the Omagh car bombing in 1998 in which 29 people died – has been rearming and reorganising over the past year. Last month it abandoned a 330lb car bomb in Castlewellan. The terrorist group said that it had been thwarted in its aim of causing major loss of life at an army base by “last-minute logistical problems”. Last week Sir Hugh Orde, the PSNI chief constable, said the threat posed by republican terrorists was at a “critical” level. He admitted requesting support from the Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR), a special forces unit, to gather intelligence on dissidents. Asked today whether there was a connection between his warning and the attack, Sir Hugh responded: "I think there is absolutely no connection whatsoever." Gordon Brown joined with Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen in condemning the attack. "I think the whole country is shocked and outraged at the evil and cowardly attacks on soldiers serving their country. "We will do everything in our power to make sure that Northern Ireland is safe and secure and I assure you we will bring these murderers to justice,” he said. Mr Cowen said: "A tiny group of evil people cannot and will not undermine the will of the people ... to live in peace together." The last soldier to be killed in the Troubles was slain in Bessbrook, Co Armagh, where a sniper shot Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick, 23, through the neck as he chatted to a villager at a road checkpoint in February 1997.