Red Hand Defenders

Red Hand Defenders

The Red Hand Defenders (RHD) is a Northern Irish paramilitary group formed in 1998 and composed largely of Protestant hardliners from loyalist groups observing a cease-fire. It is composed of members of the Ulster Defence Association and Loyalist Volunteer Force, most of whom are still part of those groups. In January 2002, the group announced all staff at Catholic schools in Belfast and Catholic postal workers were legitimate targets. Despite calls in February 2002 by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) to announce its disbandment, RHD continued to make threats and issue claims of responsibility. In early 2003, the RHD claimed responsibility for killing two UDA members as a result of what is described as loyalist internecine warfare. It also claimed responsibility for leaving a bomb in the offices of Republican Sinn Fein in West Belfast which was later successfully defused. In recent years, the group has carried out numerous pipe bombings and arson attacks against "soft" civilian targets such as homes, churches, and private businesses. In January 2002, the group bombed the home of a prison official in North Belfast.

The RHD first came to prominence when it claimed responsibility for a blast bomb attack on 7 September 1998 which killed Frankie O'Reilly, a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officer. (This attack was part of the Drumcree conflict over Orange Order parades in Portadown.) The group claimed responsibility for the killing of Brian Service (35), a Catholic civilian, on 2 November 1998. The RHD also claimed responsibility for the killing of Rosemary Nelson, a Catholic human rights solicitor, in Lurgan on 15 March 1999. In addition to the killings the RHD has also claimed numerous blast bomb attacks on Catholic families across Northern Ireland. The RHD appeared at around the same time as the Orange Volunteers and initially commentators believed that the same people were involved in both paramilitary groups.

The group has issued statements which seem to take inspiration from the Bible, Deuteronomy Chapter 7,Verse 2: "And the Lord thy God shall have delivered them to thee: thou shalt utterly destroy them. Thou shalt make no league with them, nor show mercy to them ... neither shalt thou make marriages with them." Fact|date=April 2008

According to the Sutton database of deaths at the University of Ulster's CAIN project [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/crosstabs.html] , the RHD was responsible for 8 killings up to 2001. Six of its victims have been civilians, one was a member of the Ulster Defence Association and one was a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

ources

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/events/northern_ireland/focus/205596.stm LVF link to Red Hand terrorists ] "BBC News", March 16, 1999.
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2001/sep/30/northernireland2 Vengeance of dead King Rat] "The Observer"
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/northern_ireland/understanding/parties_paramilitaries/red_hand.stm Red Hand Defenders] ] "BBC News"
* [http://www.nps.edu/Library/Research/SubjectGuides/SpecialTopics/TerroristProfile/Prior/RedHandDefenders.html Red Hand Defenders (RHD)] Naval Postgraduate School (US)
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/recent/troubles/fact_files.shtml?ff=p11 BBC - History - NI: The Troubles - Fact Files] ] "BBC News"
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/10/01/nuls01.xml Ceasefire endangered by journalist's murder] Telegraph (UK). 1 Oct 2001.
* [http://archive.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR450012002?open&of=ENG-GBR United Kingdom: Escalating sectarian violence must be addressed ... ] Amnesty International
* [http://www.noraid.com/Terrorists.htm Terrorists] Noraid.com


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Red Hand Defenders — Les Red Hand Defenders (français : Défenseurs de la Main rouge, RHD) sont un groupe paramilitaire loyaliste nord irlandais apparu en 1998. Son origine est incertaine, étant soit un prête nom de la Loyalist Volunteer Force et de l Ulster… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Red Hand Defenders — noun a paramilitary group of Protestants in Northern Ireland that tries to prevent any political settlement with the Irish Republic; attacks interests of Catholic civilians in Northern Ireland; responsible for arson and bombing and murder • Syn:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Red hand — The red hand may refer to:* Red handed the common idiomatic phrase [he was] caught red handed, means caught in the act of a crime * Red handed tamarin * Red Hands children s game * Red Hand Day* Red Hand of Ulster * Red Hand Defenders * Red Hand… …   Wikipedia

  • Red Hand Commandos — Les Red Hand Commandos (français : Commandos de la Main rouge, RHC) sont un groupe paramilitaire loyaliste nord irlandais fondé en 1972. Proche de l Ulster Volunteer Force, il participe au Combined Loyalist Military Command dans les années… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Defenders of the Faith (Dungeons & Dragons) — Defenders of the Faith   Cover of Defenders of the Faith …   Wikipedia

  • Defenders (comics) — Defenders The Defenders. Publication information Publisher Marvel Comics …   Wikipedia

  • Red Star Belgrade — Full name Fudbalski Klub Crvena Zvezda Nickname(s) Zvezda (The Star) Crveno beli (The Red Whites) Founded 4 March 1945 …   Wikipedia

  • Red Alert (Transformers) — Red Alert is the name of several characters in the various fictional Transformers universes. Transformers Generation 1Transformers character name =Red Alert japanname =Alert caption = affiliation =Autobot subgroup =Autobot Cars Micro Vehicles… …   Wikipedia

  • Red Auerbach — Infobox Celebrity name = Arnold Jacob Red Auerbach caption = Auerbach speaking after being honored with the Lone Sailor Award on October 25, 2006 birth date = birth date|mf=yes|1917|9|20|mf=y birth place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S. death date =… …   Wikipedia

  • List of Di-Gata Defenders characters — This is the list of both known major and minor characters for the animated television series Di Gata Defenders.Main Six DefendersSeth (voiced by Noah Cappe):At the age of fourteen (age at Trouble in Paradise ) Seth is the leader of the Di Gata… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”