N. IRELAND: L-V-F PROTESTANTS CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR BELFAST KILLING

Описание: (11 Jan 1998) English/Nat

Protestant terrorists on Sunday claimed responsibility for the killing of a Belfast nightclub doorman - who was related by marriage to Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

In a statement, the hardline Loyalist Volunteer Force said the shooting was in direct response to the recent Maze prison murder of its leader, Billy Wright.

The shooting dealt a new blow to the peace negotiations on Northern Ireland's future that are to resume on Monday.

Adams strongly condemned the killing, but a Sinn Fein negotiator said they would still be attending the talks with the aim of overcoming attempts to stall the peace process.

In daylight on Sunday - the Space nightclub where bouncer Terry Enwright was shot dead in the early hours of the morning.

The Loyalist Volunteer Force (L-V-F), a Protestant gang trying to wreck ceasefires by the main pro-British Protestant paramilitary groups and by the Catholic-based I-R-A, claimed responsibility for killing the 28-year-old Catholic.

Enwright was the third Catholic whose murder the L-V-F has claimed since December 27th when their leader was shot dead by gunmen of a Republican splinter group in the Maze prison.

Enwright was a relative of Gerry Adams - he was married to a niece of the Sinn Fein leader, who seemed distraught when asked to comment on the attack.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I know it's important for you to reflect the fact that this young man was married to a niece of mine. That should not be used as any excuse for killing him. He was heavily involved in the community affairs with young people. He was a good, he probably thought a brilliant, Gaelic footballer and he came from a community and a family, the Enwright family .. who have suffered an awful lot."
SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein president

The shooting's another blow to the peace negotiations that resume on Monday.

But Sinn Fein, the I-R-A's political wing, said it would be at the negotiating table, trying to adopt a positive approach.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We wish to go in tomorrow morning to change the situation, to change the situation where you have a party able to hold up progress in the talks and an atmosphere created by loyalist killings on the outside designed to stop change outside the talks. We will negotiate inside the talks on a comprehensive agenda on lead papers within the context that we will address all of the major issues in good faith to seek a way forward. That is what we have clearly said."
SUPER CAPTION: Bairbre DeBrun, Sinn Fein negotiating team

But the party wasn't changing its stance on reported plans for a new assembly for Northern Ireland.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We will discuss any issue. We do not believe that an assembly is a helpful way forward. It is not part of our proposals, but we will enter into real good faith negotiations on a comprehensive agenda when there is a comprehensive agenda or to lead papers when there are lead papers."
SUPER CAPTION: Bairbre DeBrun, Sinn Fein negotiating team

The bar where the shooting happened is owned by the family of David Ervine, of the Progressive Unionist Party (P-U-P).

Ervine represents the outlawed pro-British paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (U-V-F) in negotiations.

He thinks the attack was intended to drive a wedge between the P-U-P and Sinn Fein.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Malachi O'Doherty, local journalist

The P-U-P is under pressure to give the peace process a fresh boost by attending this
week's resumed talks at Stormont.


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