The Five Demands

E’ stato un lavoratore comunitario ad evitare una strage di innocenti

Un lavoratore comunitario, nel tentativo di salvare i passeggeri a bordo del treno attaccato a Lurgan durante i disordini del 12 luglio, è riuscito ad impedire ai rivoltosi di dare alle fiamme il veicolo.
Alcuni fotogrammi mostrerebbero l’uomo gettare una valigia dal treno. Valigia che si è poi scoperto essere inzuppata di benzina. Poco più tardi, ha raccontato l’uomo a U TV, si è trovato di fronte ad un rivoltoso ‘armato’ di una tanica contenente 5 galloni di gasolio.
‘Lasciateli bruciare’, avrebbe pronunciato incurante dei passeggeri, tra cui donne e bambini.
Erano 55 i passeggeri a bordo del treno Dublin-bound Enterprise, assalito nei pressi della roccaforte repubblicana di Kilwilkie.
I passeggeri, il personale e l’autista si erano chiusi in una carrozza in preda al terrore, e l’operaio ha raccontanto di aver dovuto convincerli di essere della loro parte prima di poter accedere al locale dove si erano stipati e di riuscire a far condurre il treno alla vicina Portadown.

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Rioters “tried to firebomb” Lurgan train (U TV)
Rioters who attacked a train in Lurgan on July 12 were only prevented from firebombing it by a community worker trying to save passengers, it has emerged.
Footage showed the man throwing luggage from the train – they were actually soaked in petrol and, minutes later, he confronted a man with a five gallon drum of diesel in his hands.
The man – who did not want to be identified – told UTV a rioter wanted to let those on board the train burn.
“I told him there were women and children on the train,” he said.
“He (the rioter) said ‘Let them burn’ – this person was intent on killing everybody on the train with no regard for their lives.”
There were 55 passengers of all ages on the Dublin-bound Enterprise train when it was surrounded by a mob who blocked its path, on the line close to the Kilwilkie estate – a dissident republican stronghold.
The community worker described seeing one woman who “just looked terrified”.
The passengers, staff and the driver had locked themselves in a carriage. They were so terrified the rioters would board the train, the community worker had to persuade them he was on their side before he could gain access to where they were.
Speaking about those responsible, the man said: “They were quite willing to kill anybody on board. No regard for human life whatsoever.
“There were people who were completely innocent. There were women and children. People had no regard for life whatsoever.”
He managed to convince the driver to move the train and stayed with him until it reached Portadown.
Sinn Fein representative for the area John O’Dowd said there was no doubt dissident republicans were behind it.
“Some of the known faces in the area were there.
“I think that people were dragged into situations once the trouble flared who may not have sympathies with the dissidents.”
The DUP’s Stephen Moutray added: “But for the work of a community worker, there could have been mass murder on the railway line and not for the first time.”