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{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
⚫ #REDIRECT ]
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{notability|Events|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Newtownhamilton bombing
| partof = ]
| image =
|map = {{Location map|UK Northern Ireland
|relief = yes
|width = 250
|lat = 54.19058
|long = -6.57644
|marksize = 5
|caption =<!--Please leave this blank-->
}}
| location = ], ], Northern Ireland
| coordinates = {{coord|55.041|N|7.010|W|display=it|region:GB_type:event|format=dms}}
| date = 24 June 1998
| time = 14:20
| timezone = ]
| type = Bombing
| weapons = ], ]
| fatalities = 0
| injuries = 6
| perp = ] (INLA)<br> ] (RIRA)
}}
{{Campaignbox Northern Ireland Troubles}}
{{Campaignbox Dissident Irish Republican Campaign}}

The '''Newtownhamilton bombing''' was a ] carried out by the ] (INLA) on 24 June 1998 in the ] border village of ] shortly after the signing of the 1998 ] by the ], ] ] and ] parties as well as parties which represented ] and ] paramilitaries. The INLA and its political wing the ] were opposed to the agreement. The bombing was one of the last actions carried out or claimed by the INLA during the 30-year conflict known as ].

==Background==
{{unreferenced section|date=November 2017}}
The Good Friday Agreement was signed on 10 April 1998 and was approved by most major paramilitaries on the Republican and Loyalist sides of the conflict like the ] (PIRA) and the ] (UVF) but was opposed by smaller dissident groups on each side like the ] (RIRA, formed in 1997 after splitting with the PIRA), the ] (formed in 1996 after splitting with the UVF) and the INLA itself.

The car bomb attack took place during a time of high activity by dissident Irish Republicans especially by the Real IRA and ] mainly in protest at the Good Friday Agreement which dissidents argued was a document of surrender to the British government, ] argued it was a huge stepping stone to a ] and that the armed struggle had gone as far as it could go and further loss of life was pointless and immoral.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Breen|first=Suzanne|date=26 June 1998|title=Bomb damage in village put at £2m|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/bomb-damage-in-village-put-at-2m-1.166950|access-date=2020-09-15|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref>

==Bombing==
The car bomb exploded in the predominantly Catholic border town of Newtownhamilton close to a polling station and the local RUC barracks, injuring six people including a 15-year-old boy despite the INLA giving a 50-minute warning as the RUC were still trying to evacuate people from the bomb area. The bomb was estimated to have weighed {{cvt|200|lb|kg}} and along with the injured it caused widespread damage. The financial damage from the attack was estimated at £2 million.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Breen|first=Suzanne|date=26 June 1998|title=Bomb damage in village put at £2m|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/bomb-damage-in-village-put-at-2m-1.166950|access-date=2020-09-15|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref>

The RUC believed the Real IRA supplied the INLA with ] commercial explosive which was thought to have been used as a component in making the bomb.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch98.htm#Jun|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1998|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh}}</ref> CAIN also lists the Real IRA as perpetrators.<ref name="org-rira">{{cite web|title=Organizations: R|url=http://www.cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/organ/rorgan.htm|publisher=CAIN.ulst.ac.uk|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
Two months later on 15 August the ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/cgi-bin/dyndeaths.pl?querytype=date&day=15&month=08&year=1998|title=CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths|first=Malcolm|last=Sutton}}</ref> caused by the Real IRA killed almost 30 people and injured over 250 more. The shock and outrage in Ireland and Britain over the human cost of the bomb was such that the Real IRA soon called a ceasefire<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/peace/docs/rira18898b.htm|title=CAIN: Events: Peace Process: "real" IRA statement 2, 18 August 1998|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh}}</ref> and so did the INLA on 22 August 1998<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/events/peace/docs/inla22898.htm|title=CAIN: Events: Peace: Ceasefire Statement issued by the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), Saturday 22 August 1998|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh}}</ref> bringing an end to their 24-year paramilitary campaign which killed over 100 people and injured hundreds more. Almost a year later, on 8 August 1999, the INLA issued a statement saying: "There is no political or moral argument to justify a resumption of the campaign."

==See also==
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== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{The Troubles}}
{{INLA/IRSP}}

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Revision as of 17:20, 23 February 2022

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Newtownhamilton bombing
Part of the Troubles
Newtownhamilton bombing is located in Northern IrelandNewtownhamilton bombing
LocationNewtownhamilton, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Coordinates55°02′28″N 7°00′36″W / 55.041°N 7.010°W / 55.041; -7.010
Date24 June 1998
14:20 (GMT)
Attack typeBombing
WeaponsTime bomb, car bomb
Deaths0
Injured6
PerpetratorIrish National Liberation Army (INLA)
Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)
The Troubles
in Ireland
1960s and 1970s

1980s

1990s

See also: The Troubles in Britain & Europe, Assassinations during the Troubles, and Loyalist feud
Dissident Irish republican campaign

The Newtownhamilton bombing was a carbombing carried out by the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) on 24 June 1998 in the Armagh border village of Newtownhamilton shortly after the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement by the Irish government, British government Nationalist and Unionist parties as well as parties which represented Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries. The INLA and its political wing the IRSP were opposed to the agreement. The bombing was one of the last actions carried out or claimed by the INLA during the 30-year conflict known as the Troubles.

Background

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The Good Friday Agreement was signed on 10 April 1998 and was approved by most major paramilitaries on the Republican and Loyalist sides of the conflict like the Provisional IRA (PIRA) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) but was opposed by smaller dissident groups on each side like the Real IRA (RIRA, formed in 1997 after splitting with the PIRA), the Loyalist Volunteer Force (formed in 1996 after splitting with the UVF) and the INLA itself.

The car bomb attack took place during a time of high activity by dissident Irish Republicans especially by the Real IRA and Continuity IRA mainly in protest at the Good Friday Agreement which dissidents argued was a document of surrender to the British government, Sinn Féin argued it was a huge stepping stone to a United Ireland and that the armed struggle had gone as far as it could go and further loss of life was pointless and immoral.

Bombing

The car bomb exploded in the predominantly Catholic border town of Newtownhamilton close to a polling station and the local RUC barracks, injuring six people including a 15-year-old boy despite the INLA giving a 50-minute warning as the RUC were still trying to evacuate people from the bomb area. The bomb was estimated to have weighed 200 lb (91 kg) and along with the injured it caused widespread damage. The financial damage from the attack was estimated at £2 million.

The RUC believed the Real IRA supplied the INLA with Semtex commercial explosive which was thought to have been used as a component in making the bomb. CAIN also lists the Real IRA as perpetrators.

Aftermath

Two months later on 15 August the Omagh bombing caused by the Real IRA killed almost 30 people and injured over 250 more. The shock and outrage in Ireland and Britain over the human cost of the bomb was such that the Real IRA soon called a ceasefire and so did the INLA on 22 August 1998 bringing an end to their 24-year paramilitary campaign which killed over 100 people and injured hundreds more. Almost a year later, on 8 August 1999, the INLA issued a statement saying: "There is no political or moral argument to justify a resumption of the campaign."

See also

References

  1. Breen, Suzanne (26 June 1998). "Bomb damage in village put at £2m". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  2. Breen, Suzanne (26 June 1998). "Bomb damage in village put at £2m". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  3. Melaugh, Dr Martin. "CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1998".
  4. "Organizations: R". CAIN.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  5. Sutton, Malcolm. "CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths".
  6. Melaugh, Dr Martin. "CAIN: Events: Peace Process: "real" IRA statement 2, 18 August 1998".
  7. Melaugh, Dr Martin. "CAIN: Events: Peace: Ceasefire Statement issued by the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), Saturday 22 August 1998".
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