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Garda inquiries continue into hijacking
Gardaí continued their investigations over the weekend into the hijacking, near the south Armagh border on Friday of a courier delivery van, carrying more than €200,000 worth of computer equipment. The stolen goods were on route from Athlone to the North.
The PSNI was asked by gardaí to assist in the investigation into the incident in which the van, which was heading for a location in Co Antrim, was snatched by four armed men on the main Monaghan-Armagh road at Tyholland a few miles from Monaghan town, close to the border with Middletown, Co Armagh.
The driver was tied up, along with the driver of a milk lorry which happened to arrive on the scene as the hijack was taking place.
Both men were left at a disused shed but later freed themselves and raised the alarm.
The hijacked container was later found by gardaí at Dromad, Co Louth, close to Jonesboro in Co Armagh, with all the contents missing. Detectives believe a criminal gang was behind the theft.
A senior detective said yesterday: “We don’t suspect any links to the gang involved in recent bank raids or attempts to snatch ATM machines from bank buildings.”
He added that involvement by republican dissidents was also considered “unlikely”.
SDLP to back parades body
The SDLP will support the retention of the Parades Commission when it outlines details of its plans for resolving contentious marches today.
Former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Paddy Ashdown has conducted a review of parades for the government.
SDLP equality spokesman Alex Attwood said tensions must not be allowed to escalate and maintained that the abolition of the Parades Commission would be a backward step.
“The SDLP will be urging the Irish Government to hold firm to the Parades Commission. Sinn Féin must back out of the cul-de-sac of support for the Lord Ashdown proposals,” he added.
Assembly member Dolores Kelly said the Parades Commission had “lost its way” and was at risk of further losing the confidence of the community.
“It must go back to its core values,” she said. – (PA)