16/01/2014 BBC Newsline

Good evening. The headlines on BBC Newsline: the police stepped up

patrols after a wave of attacks on foreign nationals in Belfast.

Martin Corey is released after four years in prison without trial.

There is a helping hand for families struggling to pay for first holy

Communion days. Find out what a new report says

about the people who make us laugh. Ulster prepare for their biggest

test so far this season, away to the Leicester Tigers.

And there's still a rain warning in place for parts of the north and

east tonight. The police say the latest spate of

attacks on the homes of foreign nationals living in East Belfast is

orchestrated and designed to strike fear into the hearts of minority

communities. BBC Newsline's Mervyn Jess is at the Community Relations

Council office in Belfast. Last night, there were three attacks

on houses in the Sydenham area of the city. Earlier today, I spoke to

one of the victims, a polish woman, and she told me how she was going to

bed when the bricks came through her windows.

A brick, broken glass and boarded up windows, evidence of another home

targeted by those involved in hate crime. Three houses of foreign

nationals were damaged overnight in East Belfast. The front window of

one property was shattered by a brick. In another incident, two

windows were smashed. The young Polish mother who lives there says

that she was shocked by the attack. I went to bed at midnight. The voice

woke me up, somebody smashed the window. My mum and her husband woke

up. We phoned the police. My stepfather, he saw two guys run

away. Has there been trouble like this before? Never. My mum has lived

here two years. She has lived in the area six years. The police say the

attacks are being orchestrated by relatively small number of people

with seven homes targeted in the last few days. These attacks have

the intent of causing damage, fear and injury. Total disregard for whom

may be in those homes, including young children. Support groups are

offering CCTV. These attacks, although deliberate and targeted, we

believe they are the work of a small group of people. It is not a

reflection of the overall way in which communities have integrated.

Community groups are involved in reaching out to the visitors who

come to stay with us. Many of them contribute positively to our

economy. They work full time, they contribute to the health services,

schools. They do, in many places, the superb job. It stands in stark

contrast to those who would engage in this type of activity. Some sake

-- this lady says that the attack has forced her family to consider

the position. I will be staying but my mum is thinking about going.

Police patrols are being stepped up in an effort to deter those involved

in the recent spike in hate crime in this part of East Belfast. With me

at the Community Relations Council as the chairman. First of all, what

do you think can be done to help combat this behaviour? First of all,

the attacks that have taken place, I think they are appalling. From what

I know of the area, they are not representative of the vast majority

of people there. Cabaret appeal to the people in the area that any of

the nation may have should be passed to the police? -- can I appeal. It

does not represent the community. What can the council do? Along with

many other issues, we have been working on it. We are happy to go

out and meet with groups there and local people to talk about what the

community response should be. It is very important to understand the

community response should be. It is misapprehensions and miss that are

around -- and myths that are around. What is the motivation of people who

get involved in this type of activity? There are potentially a

lot of different motivations. I do not know the specifics. But there is

no motivation that justifies this sort of liberty and violence visited

on families. It is not the sort of thing we want to see # row this sort

of violence visited on families. Godfrey, it you are in a

neighbourhood watch area. What can you do to help people? All we can do

is support the families, let them know that their neighbours are 100%

behind them. If there is anything anybody else wants to know, all they

need to do is ask the police or us and we will be there. Nobody was

seriously injured but it does not make it any less terrifying for the

victims. We apologise for the break-up in the picture earlier.

The man who died after he was knocked down by a bus yesterday

evening was a 64-year-old from the Kilkeel area of County Down. Robert

Morris was hit on Killowen Road in Rostrevor shortly after 5pm and the

police have appealed for any witnesses to contact to them. Seven

people have now died on the roads in Northern Ireland since the start of

the year. The prison authorities have been

accused of trying to prevent media coverage of last night's release of

the Lurgan republican Martin Corey. He had been held for nearly four

years without charge after being deemed a risk to the public, but was

never told why. Our home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney

reports. Martin Corey was released from

prison in 1992 after serving 19 years for the IRA murder of two

police officers. Nearly four years ago, police arrested him at his

home. He was sent back to prison on the basis that he was deemed a risk

to the public because of secret intelligence information. Martin

Corey was not charged with any offences or told about the nature of

any evidence against him. His lawyers argued that his detention

amounted to determine without trial -- internment without trial. An

independent panel yesterday said he should be released. The plans are

how that would be done was changed after a BBC camera crew arrived. I

received a phone call from one of the prison officials when I was on

my way to collect him. They indicated there were press at side

the gate and they offered me the alternative to collect him at the

train station. Martin Corey was driven to the train station in an

unmarked van and handed over to his solicitor. Members of a campaign

group have accused the prison authorities of trying to minimise

publicity around his release because his detention had become a political

embarrassment. His solicitor said his concern is that his client still

does not know why he was imprisoned. He was the only individual I am

aware of held under such concerns. He never knew the reason for his

detention. The 63-year-old could be returned to prison if he breaches

the conditions of his release. It is understood those conditions include

a ban on speaking to the media, a step relation he cannot live in his

hometown of a set period of time and that he will wear an electronic tag

to allow his movements to be monitored -- a stipulation that he

cannot live in his hometown. The Deputy First Minister Martin

McGuinness says he believes discussions on the Haass proposals

need to be completed by St Patrick's Day. Earlier this week, the five

main party leaders met to discuss a way forward on the draft agreement

on flags, parades and the past. They are due to meet again next week. In

an interview for tonight's The View programme on BBC One, Mr McGuinness

said he believed the Americans have an end date in mind. I tell you what

I think. This needs to be done before St Patrick's Day. The 17th of

March? As far as the Americans are concerned, every year, we are

invited to the White House to meet with the president. I do not have

any doubts that the focus is very much on what is happening here at

the moment. Martin McGuinness. Community workers in part of

Londonderry have set up a first communion shop for Catholic families

finding it difficult to pay for their child's big day. The

organisers say some parents feel under pressure to spend. Here's our

North West reporter Keiron Tourish. The report begins with a community

service. Father, we ask you to less these gifts of red wine. The

catholic children, it is one of the biggest days in their lives. Some

parents have used the occasion to splash out and spend hundreds, even

thousands of pounds, do make sure it is done in style. This is the other

side of the story. This community Centre is now learning dresses and

suits which have been donated to struggling families. We lend the

dresses out and we ask them to bring the dress back. If you can afford

to, contributed the dry cleaning. If you can't, no problem. Talking to

the mothers, I am getting prices from ?500 up to ?1000. That is what

some of them have to spend. One day for the first communion. I think it

is a disgrace. I took last year this centre said it provided 50 outfits,

around 40 dresses and ten suits, for children making their first holy

Communion. Judging by the demand so far this year, it expects that

figure will be more than double. This family run business has been

operating for 60 years and says like many big social occasions spending

can vary among families. Ella Makro we try and help people by letting

them pay a deposit and then there is no time limit for them to pay it off

-- we try and help people. Tough times at Ayr.

A priest says there were attempts to try and change the system and

promote school uniforms or a small sash. Some parents strongly

objected. People have spent over ?1000 on a dress and also people

have been seen getting limousines. And of course, fake tans. A lot of

people seem to have the focus but there are a significant number of

people focusing on the wrong thing. The church says it wants the focus

to be where it should be the sacrament of first holy Communion.

It's estimated that around 1.8 million tourists visited Northern

Ireland in the past year. While there's enormous interest in the

maritime and industrial heritage, many people still want to find out

about the Troubles and its legacy. Our reporter Kevin Magee has been on

the tourist trail. These are the images tourist chiefs

want the world to see. Titanic Belfast and the town's Causeway or

amongst the town's flagship attractions drawing more and more

tourists to shores. There is an ambitious target of more than 2

million visitors by 2016. Many will come to the gleaming new tourist

centres. And while not heavily promoted on the tourist board

website, there is still an enormous appetite for what is described as

troubles tourism. Norman has been taking visitors around elf asked for

the last 14 years. Today, he has two Australians at the back of his cab.

-- around Belfast. They think the political side of things... They

came here as part of a European tour and are keen to find out more about

our troubled past. Hold on, let me get the focus. It is very

educational. I didn't realise there was still such a divide between the

Catholics and Protestants. It was really interesting. Certainly,

coming here, we been told by a lot of friends from a tourist

perspective, it is quite safe. It certainly felt that we're travelling

around. In a statement, the tourist boards

is that while it supports positive aspects of cultural tourism product,

and while some tourists may have an interest in our recent past,

political tourism is not a key motivator for visitors to come here.

People on the ground say it is the big draw, with nine out of ten

visitors asking to see places associated with the troubles. That

fascination with Northern Ireland's past has led to one company taking a

more controversial approach. They bring visitors to some of the most

horrific scenes of the troubles, including the Abercorn bar and the

bomb site of bloody Friday. Criticised by some as a territory,

those who run it say it is important not to rush out the -- brush out the

atrocities. Part of the picture of this place is not being displayed.

If you doesn't Belfast, people come for shopping. You can go to

Edinburgh or Dublin. There is a story which has she and influence

this city and society and the people in it. So, while more foreign

tourists than ever are coming to see the gleaming new buildings that

represent Northern Ireland's future, there is still a fascination

with our troubled past. Stepping back further in time now

and archive material relating to the Easter Rising and the War of

Independence is being put on the internet for all to see this

evening. It's an opportunity to find out from Irish government documents

if any of your ancestors took part. Our reporter Julie McCullough has

been having a look. It was one of the most turbulent

times in Irish history. 1916-1923, the years before and after Ireland

gained independence. Although well documented in the past, nearly

300,000 new files are to be made available to the public on the

Republic of Ireland's military archives website. The collection

being released this evening forms part of the Government's centenary

of commemorations. The material being released sheds light on I's

political and military history from the early 20th century. The material

will be viewed for the first time by members of the public and shows his

true from the ground up. -- Ireland's political history.

There is plenty online to interest people here. This collection covers

1922 and 1923 which are very important years in Northern Ireland.

It is the years when the Northern Irish state was defending itself

against an offensive led by the IRA in the south. I am hoping we get a

lot more information on bold type of activities.

Although this archive is called the Military Service Pensions

Collection, it contains so much more than just details on who did or did

not get a pension. For example, if I type the word Belfast into the

search engine... And I go into organisations and membership files,

I can access a document that shows me who from Belfast was in the IRA

in the 1920s. The site officially goes live at 7:30pm this evening.

Not all documents will be available right away. More will be added over

the next few years. The short list for this year's

Oscars has been revealed and a movie partly filmed in County Down has

received four nominations. Philomena tells the true story of an Irish

woman's search for her son who was forcibly removed from her when he

was a baby. The crew spent four days filming in Killyleagh, Bryansford

and Rostrevor, where the lead actress, Dame Judy Dench, met some

real-life long lost relatives. She has been nominated for the best

actress award. The movie is up for Best Picture and two more awards. It

has already been nominated for a number of BAFTA awards.

Mental health is a serious matter and not something to be laughed at.

So it's a bit ironic to discover that a survey of comedians has found

they have high levels of psychotic personality traits. The research by

Oxford University was carried out across the world. Here at home, Mark

Simpson has been talking to some comics to see if the findings should

be taken seriously. Everywhere they go, they try to make

people smile. It is likely to be here in the UK City of Culture.

CHEERING We've found the Protestants, there

you go in! New research suggests most comedians

have an abnormal personality. First question is the next answer! Those

needed for humour are similar to traits seen in people with

psychosis. Is it true? You cannot just ask a comedian if they are

psychotic. Or can you? Are you psychotic? Not today. I am feeling

quite good today, Mark. There is something to this. Most comedians I

know are a bit strange. Colin Murphy is not a normal person and comedians

can be narcissistic, masochistic and also, if you fail at comedy, you

die, that's what they say. You go well at comedy, you kill. You have a

few major issues involved to stop you have to be a little bit

strange? Disposal but at some others are

normal. Some others. Luckily, we are not all mad. Only

most others. She is taking the research and issue of mental health

seriously. She believes that humour can be a form of therapy. I think it

is a way of dealing with the absurdity of life. Because if you

want to be about Paul faced about it, it feels about like a ladder out

of the darkness, comedy. Because if you just sit in the, " how awful

everything is and how we everything is." It could be slightly

depressing. It is not a sport, it is just that he has lost! Behind the

jokes, some comedians may not always be as confident as they look. It is

just the way they tell them. Mad, sad but also funny.

Sport now with Gavin Andrews and it's less than 48 hours until

Ulster's crunch Heineken cup tie. Yes, in any other pool in the

competition Mark Anscombe's side would already be assured of

finishing top and so would have secured a home quarterfinal. But

Pool Five is going to go to the last game. Ulster must now avoid defeat

at Welford Road against Leicester Tigers. It's time to front up in

what will be an almighty physical struggle.

If Ulster are going to break down Leicester this weekend, they are

going to have to do it here. The scrum sorts out the man from the

boys. The big names now they need to deliver. The scrum line-up is going

to be big for other big for them so it is important to do the job. We

are brought here to do a job and we have been thereabouts the last 23

years and it is just important you put some hard-working and want

something, the end of the day, you want something to lift up and silver

medals don't quite cut it in the end. We are looking to go first

place and that starts on Saturday. A home quarterfinal in this

competition could be the difference. We need to make sure that words

become action, especially this weekend. We have seen historically

in the quarterfinals of Europe that at least three of the 14th at home

win. We need to make sure that we make things slightly easier on

ourselves by getting that home quarterfinal. -- three of the four

teams. We feel that there are not many teams that will come here and

beat us. As I was saying earlier in the week, 14,000 here is pretty

impressive. What a team would do would club with Coppermine. It is

something that we would love to do and it was an objective at the start

of the year. -- would blow minds. They will have to do it at Welford

Road. The last time Mr lost a pool game in Europe at home was 2006. The

challenge could hardly be bigger. And tomorrow night, Thomas Niblock

will have a special report from inside the Leicester camp.

Golf and Michael Hoey is two shots off the lead in the HSBC

Championship in Abu Dhabi. He's three under par, a shot behind the

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley. Before he started his bogey free

round of 70, Rory McIlroy received a gift of a traditional Emirate Bisht,

a gown given to men who have recently become engaged. He then

made a solid start in his first event of 2014 to finish two under

par. It was a round that included two birdies but might have been even

better if this approach had found the hole. It's got a little bit

close. Here we go, it runs and runs. But the Hollywood man is well

placed, three shots off the early lead.

It's early in the season, but Tyrone's Gaelic Footballers sent out

a statement for the Championship with an emphatic 24 point victory in

the Power NI McKenna Cup over Armagh. Mickey Harte's side hit five

goals to set up a semi final against Derry, as Thomas Kane reports.

For over a decade, the rivalry between these two teams defined

Helix football in Ulster. During their epic tussles in the early

2000, the two counties could barely be separated. Last night, the gulf

between them seemed bigger than ever. It is a cruel place to be on

the sideline on a night like that. You know, the one thing about it is

now that I am baffled at the way we did plate. But I have to do take

full responsibility for that. -- did plate.

If the -- if he was stunned, his counterpart must have watched in

delight. His team seemed capable of scoring at will. They were very

good. The space was there. He ran into the space and played with

control and finishing was good. That happened and sometimes you have

nights like that and I am sure our competitors will learn a lot from it

as well and they will have better days. You know they have not got

their full side out by any means either so when they get all their

players back, they will be back on the road again also.

It may be back to the drawing board for Armagh but every other county

will be worried. Kris Meeke is in second place after

the first day of racing at the Monte Carlo Rally, the opening event of

this year's World Championship. The Dungannon man is 38.8 seconds behind

Frenchman Bryan Bouffier, and one second ahead of former formula one

driver Robert Kubica. That is the sport.

The weather forecast is next, That is the sport.

The weather with Angie. Hello. We have some heavy showers in

the forecast and some fog, icy patches in the forecast but not all

in the same place at the same time. Rain has been the main issue for

some parts today. It will continue to be the case tonight. We still

have low pressure with us. It is sitting over the top bus with quite

a flag flow. Any heavy showers that come along are likely to be quite

slow moving and prolonged. -- quite a flag flow. We have that weather

warning in place. There is the risk of localised flooding tonight and

into tomorrow morning. Not everywhere. Most of the showers have

been across County Durham and County Antrim. It is still going to be

eastern areas which are going to be most prone. Down and Antrim again

but maybe parts of County Armagh and extending into County Londonderry

also. Some of those showers will be heavy and prolonged. Further west,

it is that bit drier but these areas could be prone to fog patches

forming as temperatures drop. That means we could have some frost and

icy patches also. For these parts, but could be a bit of a problem for

the morning rush-hour. We could have one or two visibility issues and it

could be a bit slippery on some untreated roads and pavements also.

At least it is mainly dry. The further north you go and even parts

of the east, we still have some of those showers lingering into

tomorrow morning and some could still be quite heavy. They will

eventually start to ease away as we head into the afternoon. By that

stage, apart from some light showers around, it is generally drier. A

little bit brighter but not particularly warm. For tomorrow

night, it is going to be another cold one as those showers fade away.

In the towns, two Celsius. In the countryside, possibly below

freezing. We are looking at quite a bit of frost possibly and some icy

patches and fog. That is how we start Saturday but, by the look of

things. Once again, it looks as though there is some rain swinging

in from the south and east. Still uncertainties about the movement of

that rain. Our late summary is at 10:25pm. You

can also keep in contact with us via Facebook and Twitter. From BBC

Newsline, goodnight. There is a lot of discussion about hate crimes.