NORTHERN IRELAND: MOIRA: CAR BOMB RAVAGES PROTESTANT TOWN (2)

(21 Feb 1998) English/Nat A car bomb ravaged a mostly Protestant rural town late on Friday just hours after the IRA-allied Sinn Fein party was expelled from the Northern Ireland peace talks. Eleven people were injured by the blast but as yet no-one is claiming responsibility. The explosion came after the political wing of the I-R-A, Sinn Fein, was kicked out of the peace talks because of two murders in Belfast attributed to the terrorist organisation. Five hundred pounds of explosives rocked the small town of Moira late on Friday night. A car-bomb positioned beside the police barracks levelled a small hotel and blew out windows in buildings close by. Luckily, no-one was killed because police were given a warning fifteen minute warning. But eight civilians and three police officers were injured as they ran from the area. SOUNDBITE:(English) "I just got up the street a few yards and I just turned round and the street filled with this large orange flash and my ear was directed towards the bottom of the street and I got a blast. I fell to the ground, I wasn't blown to the ground, I fell to the ground for my own protections and a piece of shrapnel come up the street and rest about ten foot from me." SUPER CAPTION: Eyewitness Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, Ronnie Flanagan was quickly at the scene of the blast. He said it's amazing no-one was killed because the warning given by the bombers was not enough time to safely evacuate the surrounding area. SOUNDBITE:(English) "Personally I'm disgusted, it's a disgrace, it was a cowardly attack, a cowardly attack carried out with a totally inadequate warning. I have seven officers who have been injured trying to clear the area. The police station has been significantly damaged, homes have been significantly damaged, businesses have been damaged." SUPER CAPTION: Ronnie Flanagan, R-U-C Chief Constable No-one is claiming responsibility but one Ulster Unionist M-P who lives in Moira was quick to lay the blame. SOUNDBITE:(English) "Well this bomb bears all the hallmarks of the work of the I-R-A. If it wasn't carried out by them it would have certainly been sanctioned by them. But the people of Moira will believe that this is the I-R-A and this is the I-R-A's answer to Mo Mowlam. The I-R-A is saying quite clearly that violence for them is the way forward and they are not interested in peace." SUPER CAPTION:Jeffrey Donaldson, Unionist M-P Sinn Fein, the I-R-A's political wing, was expelled from the Northern Ireland peace talks for its links to two I-R-A murders in Belfast. Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams earlier on Friday called for calm after the decision was announced. SOUNDBITE: (English) "And I want to appeal to everyone, to everyone to stay calm, to channel their anger and their frustration, if they wish to, into calm and disciplined protest." SUPER CAPTION: Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein President The party was to be allowed back into the talks on March the ninth. However, Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam said that could only happened if there was no more violence. If the I-R-A's is shown to be responsible for this latest attack, Sinn Fein may be out of the peace talks forever. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...