§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances an Ulster Defence Regiment member foiled an Irish Republican Army terrorist attempt on his life by the use of a shotgun at his Belfast home on Tuesday, 7th March; and if he will not issue arms to the members of the Ulster Defence Regiment in Belfast for their own personal protection.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithShortly before 11 p.m. on 6th March an off-duty member of the Ulster Defence Regiment found two men lurking at the rear of his120W house. He grappled with them and then fired three shots in their direction; the men ran off. On the second part of the Question, I have nothing to add to the reply I gave on 10th February to my hon. Friend, the Member for Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder).—[Vol. 830, c. 413.]
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of Slats for Defence under what circumstances the Army was called to the Belfast Co-operative store in York Street on Tuesday, 7th March, after an Irish Republican Army bomb explosion; what injuries resulted; what size of bomb was used; how it was detonated; and what arrests were made.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithAt about 3.45 a.m. a bomb exploded in the Cooperative store, causing no injuries but starting a fire in the store. Army ammunition technical officers were unable to assess the weight of the bomb or its means of detonation. However, in a subsequent search of the store they found and defused a 100 lb. bomb fitted with a timing device. No arrests were made by the Army at the time.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances the Army was called to an Irish Republican Army terrorist bomb explosion near the A.B.C. Belfast cinema on Monday, 6th March; what injuries resulted; what size was the bomb; how it was detonated; and what arrests were made.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithAt about 3.20 p.m. a bomb exploded in a van in the car park at the A.B.C. Cinema; 56 civilians suffered minor injuries, including shock and cuts, and the cinema and eight nearby cars were extensively damaged. Army ammunition technical officers estimated that the bomb had contained 40 to 60 lbs. of explosive, but they were unable to determine how it had been detonated. No arrests were made by the Army at the time.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances men of the King's Own Scottish Borderers were ambushed at the White-rock Road, Belfast by Irish Republican Army terrorists on Tuesday, 7th March; how many shots were fired at the troops; what sort of weapons were used; whether 121W the Army returned the fire and with what results; and what arrests were made.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithThe troops were deployed in White rock Road in the vicinity of a bus which had been hijacked earlier. They were fired upon at 11.50 a.m. with 30 to 40 low-velocity automatic shots and again five minutes later with 10 high-velocity shots. The gunmen did not present clear targets and so the troops did not return fire and no arrests were made at the time.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence what searches the Army have made in St. Joseph's Training College, Belfast and with what results.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithI will write to the hon. Member.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence how many arms and how much ammunition has been stolen from the Army in Northern Ireland since 1st August, 1969, to the latest convenient date; and what has been recovered.
§ Mr. G Johnson SmithThe number of weapons stolen and not recovered is 28, though investigations in progress may lead to further recoveries. Of 403 rounds of ammunition stolen, 47 have been positively identified as having been recovered; the very much larger quantities of ammunition seized as a result of arms searches may include others of the stolen rounds although it is not possible, in the absence of unique markings on loose rounds, to establish this.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Minister of State for Defence under what circumstances the City of Londonderry was attacked by Irish Republican Army terrorist bombs on Wednesday, 8th March; how many bombs were planted; where they were planted; what size these bombs were; how they were detonated; what injuries resulted: and what arrests were made.
§ Mr. G. Johnson SmithThe information is as follows:
A bomb estimated to have contained 10 to 15 lbs. of explosive and fitted with safety fuse exploded in the Thompson and Edwards Tyre factory. It caused severe structural damage but no casualties.
A bomb estimated to have contained 80 to 100 lbs. of explosive and fitted with a timing device exploded in a car outside the 122W post office in Customs House Street. It caused superficial damage to several buildings, but no casualties.
A bomb estimated to have contained 15 to 20 lbs. of explosive and fitted with safety fuse exploded in the Alexander Motor Company, Great James Street. It caused severe structural damage but no casualties.
A bomb estimated to have contained 80 to 100 lbs. of explosive and fitted with a timing device exploded in a car in Castle Street. It caused extensive damage to nearby shops but no casualties.
Army ammunition technical officers defused a 25 lb. bomb fitted with safety fuse which had been placed in the Lucas factory.
Army ammunition technical officers defused a 25 lb. bomb fitted with safety fuse which had been placed in the Sun Alliance Insurance Company.
No arrests were made by the Army at the time of these incidents.