HC Deb 10 June 1971 vol 818 cc354-8W
Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army explosives expert was called to examine Roden Street Royal Ulster Constabulary Station, Belfast, after it had been damaged by an explosion on the night of 5th June; what were the findings of his investigations; what searches resulted; and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Shortly before 10.30 p.m. on 5th June an explosion at Roden Street R.U.C. Station removed the front door, blew a large hole in the wall, broke several windows and blew off two metal shutters. The device was in a bag attached to a window adjacent to the front door. An Army ammunition technical officer carried out an examination of the site of the explosion. His findings were that 5 to 10 lb. of gelignite were used and that detonation was by means of a safety fuse.

I understand that no arrests have so far been made in connection with this incident.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army expert was called to examine a factory in Mylewater Street, Belfast, on Monday night, 7th June, after it had been damaged by an explosion; what were the findings of his investigations; what searches resulted; and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Shortly before 10.30 p.m. on 7th June an explosive device was thrown at the door of a transformer station in Mylewater Street. The door of the station was blown off. but the transformer remained operational. The findings of the Army ammunition technical officer's examination of the site were that between 5 and 10 lb. of explosive had been used.

I understand that no arrests have so far been made in connection with this incident.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army expert was called to examine a shop in Smithfield, Belfast, after it had been damaged by an explosion on Monday night, 7th June; what were the findings of his investigations; what searches resulted; and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

At approximately 10 p.m. on 7th June an explosion blew the doors and windows out of a clothing shop in Smithfield Market. An Army ammunition technical officer examined the site of the explosion and concluded that between one and two pounds of explosive was used.

I understand that no arrests have so far been made in connection with this incident.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army explosives expert was called to an electricity transformer situated in Dunbar Street-Talbot Street, Belfast, to examine the results of an explosion which took place on Saturday, 5th June; what were the findings of his investigations; what searches resulted; and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Shortly before 8 p.m. on 5th June an explosion blew in the doors and slightly damaged the equipment of a transformer at the junction of Dunbar Street and Talbot Street. The station remained operational. An Army ammunition technical officer examined the site of the explosion and concluded that between two and five pounds of explosive had been used.

I understand that no arrests have so far been made in connection with this incident.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army explosives expert was called to examine the results of an explosion at a wine store on Albert Bridge Road, Belfast, early on Sunday, 6th June; what were the findings of his investigations; what searches resulted; and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Shortly after I a.m. on 6th June a small charge exploded at the premises of a wine shop in Albert Bridge Road. A panel was blown out of the door. An Army ammunition technical officer examined the site of the explosion and concluded that a charge of approximately half a pound of explosive had been used.

I understand that no arrests have so far been made in connection with this incident.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army explosives expert was called to examine the results of an explosion in Whiterock Road, Belfast, early on Sunday, 6th June; what were the findings of his investigations; what searches resulted; and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Shortly before 12.45 a.m. on 6th June an explosive charge with pieces of metal intended to produce a shrapnel effect was aimed at an Army mobile patrol at the junction of Glenalina Road and Whiterock Road. An Army ammunition technical officer examined the site of the explosion and concluded that approximately five pounds of explosive had been used and that the device had been electrically detonated.

I understand that no arrests have so far been made in connection with this incident.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances the Army visited Christian Place, Belfast, early on Tuesday, 8th June; what explosive device they found; what searches resulted and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

Shortly after midnight on 8th June two Army patrols were sent to investigate a wounding incident in Christian Place. It is thought that a man was disturbed when the two patrols arrived, and a parcel containing over 10 lbs. of gelignite, together with batteries, leads, and detonators, was found dumped in the road. The device did not explode. The man has not yet been traced.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence in view of the explosions at two Royal Ulster Constabulary stations in Belfast recently, one of which resulted in the death of an Army sergeant, what steps he now proposes to take to give Royal Ulster Constabulary stations adequate Army guards and maximum security.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

I would refer to the statement by my noble Friend on 26th May.—[Vol. 818, c. 380.]

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army explosive expert was called to examine a customs post on the Londonderry-Letten Kenny Road, Killea, Northern Ireland, after it had been damaged by an explosion on 29th May; what were the findings of his investigations; what searches resulted; and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

At 1 a.m. on 29th May an Army patrol sent to investigate an anonymous threat arrived shortly before an explosion occurred at this customs post, causing extensive damage.

An Army ammunition technical officer examined the site of the explosion and concluded that two charges had been used, one inside and one outside the building. The total quantity of explosive material was some 10 to 15 lbs. of high explosive. No one was found in the area, and I understand that no arrests have so far been made in connection with this incident.

Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which Army Land Rovers and their crews were besieged for five hours by Republicans in Newry, Northern Ireland, on Monday, 24th May, the tyres of these vehicles deflated, Eire tricolours placed on their bonnets, and their crews forced to drive them back to the centre of Newry by a crowd numbering about 500.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

On the evening of 24th May military personnel who had been making a routine search of a canal bank behind a football pitch near Newry were hampered from returning to the town by a crowd of football spectators. There was some interference with the military Land Rovers, and the crowd, which at one stage numbered about 500, accompanied three of the Land Rovers into the town where additional military personnel had to intervene to allow the Land Rovers to proceed normally.

Rev. Iran Paisley

asked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Army explosive expert was called to examine an automatic telephone exchange at Mayobridge Newry, Hilltown Road, Northern Ireland, after it had been damaged by an explosion on 24th May; what were the findings of his investigations; what searches resulted; and what arrests were made.

Mr. G. Johnson Smith

At approximately 1.15 p.m. on 24th May an explosion damaged the new telephone exchange at Mayobridge. An Army ammunition technical officer examined the site of the explosion and concluded that some 2 to 5 lb. of high explosive had been used.

I understand that no arrests have so far been made in connection with this incident.