Tag: ireland

Off

Man cleared of murdering two soldiers at Masareene barracks

By Sharon Black

Brian Shivers acquitted at retrial that followed quashing of original conviction for Ulster shootings A man has been acquitted of murdering two British soldiers in Northern Ireland. Brian Shivers, 47, of Co Londonderry, had denied all involvement in the gun attack outside the Massereene army barracks in Antrim in which sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21, died. Two other soldiers and two pizza delivery men were seriously injured in the shooting in March 2009.

Off

British army will not return to Northern Ireland streets, says Theresa Villiers

By Sharon Black

Northern Ireland secretary rules out deployment of troops to back up police despite upsurge in violence The Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, says the British army will not be returning to the Northern Ireland’s streets. The secretary of state ruled out deploying any soldiers to back up the Police Service of Northern Ireland to counter the continued threat from dissident republicans as well as the recent upsurge in loyalist street disorder linked to the union flag protests. Asked if troops might be needed to support the PSNI, Villiers told the BBC Politics Show on Sunday that there was “no prospect” of a military presence on the streets

Off

Christmas joy for old soldier who finally got his medal

By Sharon Black

Army veteran Joe McKenna, 72, who volunteers at the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment Lancashire Infantry Museum in Preston, left the military in 1970 just months before his Northern Ireland service medal was minted and eventually decided to track down his medal after years of attending parades where he was the only veteran not wearing one.