The Five Demands

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Quattro uomini con il viso celato da passamontagna hanno tributato onore paramilitare alla salma di John Brady, sparando in aria colpi di pistola. Gesto definito una ‘disgrazia’ dagli unionisti

Raffiche di colpi di pistola sono state sparate da 3 dei 4 uomini (in rappresentanza di INLA, CIRA e RIRA) vestiti in uniforme in stile paramilitare e passamontagna, a fianco della bara di John Brady, deceduto in circostanze misteriose lo scorso 3 ottobre nella stazione di polizia di Strand Road a Derry.
I quattro uomini lo hanno voluto così onorare. Il protocollo, canonico e ancestrale, di urlare in gaelico e sparare colpi in aria a fianco della bara avvolta dal tricolore irlandese.  Sul feretro i guanti e il berretto nero tipico dei volontari dell’IRA.
Da segnalare gli applausi dei presenti che hanno apprezzato il gesto  e, nonostante un elicottero sorvolasse la zona, la forza dell’ordine non è intervenuta.
La bara, successivamente, è stata trasportata verso la chiesa dell’Immacolata concezione per la messa di addio.John Brady sarebbe stato scarcerato da lì a poco dopo aver scontato la condanna per l’omicidio di un agente di polizia durante i Troubles, crimine del quale si è dichiarato colpevole nel 1991.
Brady era stato rilasciato grazie ai termini dell’accordo del Venerdì Santo, ma il suo nullaosta è stato successivamente revocato ed era ritornato in carcere nel novembre 2003.

Condanna unionista
David McClarty dell’Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), ha condannato il ‘rito’ paramilitare perchè ‘dimostrazione pubblica di odio’.
“Le azioni di oggi di questi dissidenti sono una vergogna e un insulto disgustoso a tutte quelle persone innocenti che sono stati colpite dai troubles”.
“E’ preoccupante perchè anche se sono azioni grossolane, indicano che la minaccia rappresentata dai repubblicani dissidenti è molto reale.”

I funerali di John Brady (clicca sull’immagine per accedere alla gallery/click the image to see the gallery)

Shots fired at cell death funeral (BBC News Northern Ireland)
A volley of shots have been fired over the coffin of dissident Republican John Brady who died at a police station.
Four men dressed in paramilitary style uniform and black masks flanked the coffin at Brady’s sister’s home on the Drumrallagh estate in Strabane.
One man shouted orders in Irish and three fired shots into the air over the coffin which was draped in a tricolour with a black beret and gloves on top.
The coffin was then taken to Immaculate Conception Church for Requiem Mass.
Several hundred mourners clapped and cheered after the shots were fired and a police helicopter flew overhead.
It is understood that Brady took his own life at Strand Road PSNI station in Londonderry on Saturday.
He was arrested on Friday over an alleged assault.
His family said they were concerned over the circumstances of his death which is now being investigated by the police ombudsman.
The 40-year-old was on weekend parole from prison when he was arrested.
He was serving the final part of a sentence for the murder of a police officer during the Troubles, to which he pleaded guilty in 1991.
RUC Reserve Constable David Black died after an under-car booby-trap bomb exploded near his home on the outskirts of Strabane 20 years ago.
‘Revoked’
Brady was released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement but his licence was later revoked and he was returned to prison in November 2003.
It is understood that, before his latest arrest, he was due for release in a matter of weeks.
Last year, Brady was charged with putting a bomb under the car of a former RIR soldier in 2002.
However, the charge of attempted murder was dropped over concerns about the reliability of low copy number DNA evidence, which had been criticised during the Omagh bomb trial.

Republican gun salute ‘a disgrace’ (NewsLetter)
Unionists have condemned a paramilitary-style show of strength at the funeral of a dissident republican.
Masked gunmen have fired a volley of shots in tribute to John Brady, who was found dead inside a Londonderry police station at the weekend.
Four men dressed in paramilitary-style outfits, including balaclavas, partook in the act at the funeral on Thursday.
The 40-year-old, whose coffin was draped in an Irish tricolour, was laid to rest in his native Strabane.
Several hundred mourners clapped while a police helicopter hovered overhead the Drumrallagh estate.
UUP MLA David McClarty condemned what he labelled as a “public display of hatred”.
“The actions of those dissidents today is a disgrace, and a disgusting insult to all those innocent people who have been affected by the troubles here,” he said.
“Worryingly however their crass actions indicate that the threat posed by dissident republicans is very real.
“For several hundred mourners to cheer and clap as these masked men fired shots over the coffin highlights that there is a certain amount of support out there,” he added.
Mr Brady was arrested last Friday over an alleged assault and taken to Strand Road PSNI station. His body was found in a cell at the police station by his solicitor the next afternoon.
An investigation by the Police Ombudsman’s office into the the death of Tyrone republican is continuing.
Brady was jailed in 1991 after pleading guilty to killing RUC Reserve Constable David Black in a car bomb attack.
The Brady family have rejected claims that their relative took his own life.