Maghaberry

Bomb parts found in jail search

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 16/11/2009

BBC 15 Nov 09 Wires, batteries and piping which could have been used in a crude bomb have been found buried in a garden at NI's high-security prison. No explosives were discovered during the three-day search at Maghaberry jail in County Antrim. But prison authorities have launched an investigation after the bomb making parts were uncovered buried near the jail's perimeter wall. A Prison Service spokesman...

• Bomb parts found in North jail - ireland.com

Prison visits are set to resume

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 14/11/2009

BBC 13 Nov 09 Prison visits are set to resume at a high security jail in County Antrim on Saturday, as a major search continues into a third day. All domestic and legal visitors have been denied access to Maghaberry prison since Thursday morning, when the search operation began. It has been more than 10 years since the last major search at the jail. The prison service said all visits affected by the...

Prison search enters second day

BBC News (Free subscription) | 13/11/2009

A major search operation at Maghaberry high security prison in County Antrim continues for a second day.

Lockdown as Northern Ireland prison is searched

The Guardian (Free subscription) | 12/11/2009

Large-scale search under way after reports that three guns have been found in a wing housing dissident republican inmates Searches are under way in a top security prison in Northern Ireland after reports that three guns have been found in a wing housing dissident republican paramilitary inmates. Legal and family visits have been cancelled this morning after the searches began around half past nine...

Dissident held leaving prison

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 04/11/2009

By Allison Morris 03/11/09 Dissident republican Paddy Murray has been arrested by the PSNI at the gates of a jail in England to be questioned about previous paramilitary activity. Murray had been serving a four-year sentence for abduction. Last October he was spirited out of Maghaberry Prison amid allegations he had been working as a Special Branch informer prior to his arrest. The once senior member...

Traces of Semtex chemical found in Republican cells

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 28/10/2009

By Barry McCaffrey Irish News 27/10/09 The Prison Service last night confirmed that traces of a chemical used in Semtex explosives have been found in cells of republican inmates inside Maghaberry jail. The explosive substance, which is described as a “component part” of Semtex, is understood to have been found after a specialist search team carried out swab tests on the cells of republicans...

Murder accused Duffy to seek bail

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 28/10/2009

BBC 27 Oct 09 A prominent republican charged with the Real IRA murders of two soldiers at an Army base in March is to seek bail. Lurgan man Colin Duffy, 41, is one of two men charged with murdering Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey outside Massereene barracks in Antrim. He has been in custody since March when he was charged with murder. Colin Duffy has been in custody since March About 20 supporters...

Prospect of ‘imminent’ Massereene extradition

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 20/09/2009

Irish News 18/09/09 EXTRADITION proceedings against a key Real IRA suspect in the Mass-ereene army base murders may be “imminent”, security sources have revealed . Sappers Cengiz ‘Patrick’ Azimkar and Mark Quinsey were shot dead by the Real IRA outside their barracks in Antrim on March 7. Two men, Colin Duffy and Brian Shivers, have been charged with the murders. In July a...

Killer held over war hero death

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 02/09/2009

BBC 1 Sept 09 Detectives have begun questioning a former UVF supergrass about the murder of a 92-year-old pensioner in 2007. Convicted murderer Jimmy Crockard was transferred from Maghaberry prison to Antrim police station on Tuesday. He is being questioned about the murder of Charles Stead, who was beaten to death at his Canberra Park home in Dundonald in February 2007. Crockard was returned to Maghaberry...

My man is not a police informer

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 26/07/2009

By Ciaran Barnes Belfast Telegraph Sunday, 26 July 2009 The wife of a suspected Real IRA informant has vowed to stand by her man. Tish Murray told Sunday Life that her husband, convicted bomber Paddy Murray, is moving back to Antrim town in November. She rubbished reports that the 46-year-old is a high-level Special Branch informant, saying that if he was she would “leave him in the morning”....

Loyalist held over four murders

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 22/07/2009

Loyalist leader Mark Haddock has been arrested in connection with four murders dating back to the 1990s. He is being questioned about the murders of John Harbinson in May 1997, Gary Convie and Eamon Fox in March 1994 and Sharon McKenna in January 1993. Haddock was arrested by officers from the Historical Enquiries Team. Police said the 40-year-old, who is being held at Antrim Police Station, is also...

• Jailed UVF chief quizzed on murders - SAOIRSE32
• Man held over four NI murders - SAOIRSE32
• See the 5 articles on the same subject

Reaction to the prison report

BBC News (Free subscription) | 21/07/2009

Reaction to a new report on Maghaberry Prison in County Antrim

Prison 'one of worst in the UK'

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 21/07/2009

BBC Urgent action must be taken to improve standards at Northern Ireland's high security prison, inspectors have said . In the latest in a series of reports criticising the regime at Maghaberry prison, they said it couldn't be allowed to go on. An inmate hanged himself while under supervision in Maghaberry The inspectors, who made an unannounced visit to the jail in January called it one of the worst...

‘Assault’ allegation made by republican

SAOIRSE32 (Free subscription) | 11/07/2009

Irish News 09/07/09 THE Prison Service yesterday confirmed that it is investigating an incident in which leading dissident republican Colin Duffy, pictured, alleges that he was assaulted by warders at Maghaberry Prison earlier this week. The 41-year-old, who is awaiting trial for the murder of two British soldiers, alleges that he was assaulted by warders while being moved inside the Co Antrim prison...

Prisoners attack female officers

Jailhouselawyer's Blog (Free subscription) | 22/06/2009

Prisoners attack female officers Three female prison officers have been attacked by inmates in Maghaberry prison in County Antrim. It happened during visiting time on Friday after staff spotted a visitor trying to smuggle a watch to a prisoner. One of the prison officers suffered broken ribs, another a broken wrist and a third was left with a bruised face. Finlay Spratt, chairman of the Prison Officers...