Crown force assualt

A man was hospitalised late on Saturday night last after he was
beaten around the head with rifle butts by members of a British
Army/PSNI patrol.

The victim was knocked unconscious and required stitches.

Sinn Fein Councillor Jimmy Mc Creesh who visited the injured man
said that it was an unprovoked and vicious attack on this man
and his friend as they made their way home near Belleek village.

"In recent weeks local people have been stopped at checkpoints
by British military and PSNI personnel and told, 'South Armagh
will be sorted out once and for all'," said Mr McCreesh.

"The reports of increased activity by the British military and
PSNI, ongoing harassment, and this brutal assault clearly
demonstrate that these threats should not be taken lightly".


GAA FANS ATTACKED

Tyrone supporters returning home after a Gaelic football match in
Dublin have been attacked by brick throwers.

The attack on a bus full of fans, including women and young
people, happened south of Armagh City on Saturday.

They were passing a loyalist estate on the Markethill Road when
they came under attack. The group were returning to the
Dungannon area after watching Mayo beat Tyrone at Croke Park.

The brick smashed through a window on the bus and a young girl
was hurt as the missile struck her on the chest.

Another female's face was cut and bruised. Both victims were
treated for shock.

Sinn Fein Assemblyman Conor Murphy said he was extremely
disappointed to hear of the violent attack.

"It is only through good fortune that serious injury and loss of
life was not caused by this vicious and violent attack".


ANNIVERSARY CLASHES

Meanwhile, clashes between nationalist youths and PSNI police
followed bonfires marking the 33rd anniversary of the
introduction of internment on Sunday night.

Police claimed hundreds were involved in "running battles" in
west Belfast but Sinn Fein said only a dozen youths were
involved in what it described as a "mini-riot".

Officers were pelted with stones and bottles when they drove up
to the bonfire on the Westlink, a stretch of dual carriageway
running through the city.

Sinn Fein Assembly member Fra McCann accused the PSNI of
provoking trouble and of exaggerating the extent of the
disturbances.

The West Belfast MLA said the police presence at a bonfire on
waste ground had sparked the trouble.

"At no time were there hundreds of people involved. At its
height, around a dozen young people got involved in what could
be described as a mini-riot," he added.

Trouble was also reported at an internmetn anniversary bonfire
in the nationalist Fisherwick estate of Ballymena.


DERRY TROUBLE

There were also clashes in Derry as tensions continued to simmer
in the run up to the Apprentice Boys parade next weekend.

The attacks occurred on Saturday and Sunday night and involved
loyalists from the Fountain estate, nationalists and the PSNI
police.

Stones, bottles, paint and petrol bombs were thrown.