UK: NORTHERN IRELAND: REVENGE ATTACK KILLS 1 MAN

(28 Dec 1997) English/Nat
Suspected Protestant extremists have killed one man and injured three others - including a 14 year-old boy - in what appears to be a revenge attack in Northern Ireland.
Gunmen fired on customers leaving a disco at a Catholic-owned hotel in a predominantly Catholic area, 65 kilometres (40 miles) west of Belfast.
The attack came just hours after the murder of the Protestant leader of the Loyalist Volunteer Force, which wants Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom, in the province's top security prison.
Security forces around the Glengannon hotel, in a predominantly Catholic area west of Belfast, after the shootings that killed one man and left three others injured on Saturday night.
This attack was most likely in response to the earlier assassination of a militant pro-British Protestant leader by pro-Irish nationalists in Northern Ireland's top security prison.
Eyewitnesses said a car drew up outside the hotel and fired at the victims - which, they said, included a hotel doorman.
The attack came just hours after the murder of the head of the pro-British Loyalist Volunteer Force by the Irish National Liberation Army, which demands the reunification of Ireland.
Both groups have refused to join the cease-fire, which paved the way for all-party talks on the future of Northern Ireland.
The L-V-F issued a statement in response to that murder, threatening revenge attacks for the assassination in Northern Ireland's top security Maze prison.
Dennis Haughey of the moderate nationalist party the S-D-L-P - or the Social Democratic Labour Party - said he hoped the hotel attack would not plunge Northern Ireland back into violence.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well, I think there's a great deal of fear both here and throughout Northern Ireland, fear that the kind of violence that we experienced in the past could be reborn. Hopefully it won't, hopefully this incident is an isolated incident and hopefully we can get back to the business of making a permanent peace."
SUPER CAPTION: Dennis Haughey, SDLP
At first, people in the bar thought the gunshots were Christmas fireworks.
Then they were simply scared.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Just all of a sudden there was several loud bangs but a lot of people thought is was like firecrackers or bangers left over from the Christmas period."
SUPER CAPTION: Colin Little, eyewitness
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Very panicked, scared, frightened. shocked, the shock is that (of) being there and hearing them shots ..."
SUPER CAPTION: Barry Crozier, eyewitness
The three survivors were first rushed to Dungannon's South Tyrone Hospital -- seen here.
A hospital spokesman said a 44 year-old man died after been shot in the head and face and a 39 year-old man is in a critical condition with life-threatening chest wounds.
The 14 year-old boy and a man of 44 were said to be in a serious - but stable - condition.
They were then taken to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
After the prison assassination, many Catholic-frequented pubs and other social venues
closed early after dark in fear of possible attack.
The murders of at least two Catholics have been blamed on the L-V-F recently, as was last May's planting of a bombing in the Republic of Ireland.
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[@markoneill8188]

Good podcast patrica devlin about this night.