HC Deb 09 November 1972 vol 845 cc227-8W
Mr. Stratton Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the incidents on the border between Northern and Southern Ireland in each month of 1972; and if he will break them down to indicate their nature and give the number of casualties resulting there-from.

Mr. Amery

I have been asked to reply.

Between 1st January and 31st of October, 1972, there were a total of 261 border incidents involving violence initiated by Irish Republican Army units south of the border. The totals by month were:

January 23
February 25
March 35
April 26
May 24
June 18
July 11
August 31
September 34
October 34

By categories these incidents comprised:

Shootings 129
Customs Posts Destroyed 28
Other buildings attacked 8
Armed robberies and similar attacks 10
Booby-traps 32
Kidnapping 4

The balance comprises miscellaneous acts of violence.

I regret to state that total deaths in the border area in this period amounted to eight members of the security forces, one member of the gardai, and 12 civilians. IRA casualties are not included in this total.