On March 16th 1988,the U.F.F. launched an unprecedented one man attack on thousands of mourners attending the funerals of the three I.R.A. members shot by the S.A.S. in Gibraltar.The attack,which is regarded as one of the most dramatic incidents of the troubles,turned the gunman,the previously unknown Michael Stone,into one of the best known personal symbols of Loyalist violence.
Stone later said his primary targets were Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams,Martin McGuinness and Danny Morrison.In the event those killed were civilians Thomas McErlean and John Murray,together with a member of the I.R.A.,Caoimhin MacBradaigh.All three are believed to have died while pursuing the gunmen from the scene of the attack.Stone,who was subsequently given life sentences for six murders over the years.
The incident had its origin in the S.A.S. shootings of three I.R.A. members in Gibraltar.Many thousands of people attended the funerals,which linked up and together made their way into Milltown Cemetery for burial at the republican plot.Following years of republican complaints about allegedly excessive policing of such funerals,police and troops had taken the unusual step of pulling back from the funeral and keeping a watching brief from the sidelines.The coffins were about to be lowered into the ground when a number of explosions were heard close by.Those attending the funeral took cover behind headstones as they realised they were under attack.After much initial confusion,a stockily built man with long hair and a moustache,wearing an anorak,gloves and a cap,was to be seen firing a handgun and throwing hand grenades towards the gravesides.This was Michael Stone,who began jogging in the direction of the M1 motorway several hundred yards away.
As he did so he was pursued by hundreds of men and youths who had been attending the funerals.On his way to the motorway he periodically stopped,firing shots and throwing grenades to hold back his pursuers.He eventually reached the motorway,but by that stage had apparently exhausted his supply of grenades and ammunition.Some members of the crowd caught up with Stone and had beaten him unconscious when police arrived on the scene,almost certainly saving his life.During the incident around 60 people were injured by bullets,grenade shrapnel and fragments of marble and stone from headstones.After the incident Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said that Michael Stone could not have acted alone,charging that there must have been collusion with the security forces.The republican news printed a photograph of the guns used by stone and of his gloves,one of which had the tip of the right index finger removed to give more accurate trigger control.
He had been armed with a Browning 9mm pistol and a ruger .357 Magnum revolver.The serial number on his Ruger revolver had been removed and he was using a special clip which enabled him to reload quickly.His other gun,a browning automatic,was later used by the I.R.A. in the killings of two members of the security forces,Constable Samuel Todd and U.D.R. member Roy Butler.Most of the incident was filmed by television cameras,conferring instant notoriety and celebrity on Stone.In the aftermath of the attack the U.D.A. denied he was one of their members,U.D.A. sources saying he had previously attempted to join the organisation but had been turned down.Shortly afterwards,however,reports circulated that he had quietly begun working in secret for a number of U.D.A. officers,including John McMichael.In prison he was housed with the other U.D.A inmates and after some years came to be described as one of the organisation's leaders in the Maze.
Stone was charged with six murders,six attempted murders and 32 other charges.In court he pleaded not guilty but offered no evidence in his defence,which meant the prosecution had to outline in detail the evidence against him.He recieved a number of life sentences,the judge saying he should be 'Kept in custody for a very long time'.In November 1998,it was rumoured that he was about to be released under the Good Friday Agreement,but it emerged he had been officially notified he would not be set free until July of the year 2000,thus becoming one of the last to remain behind bars.Newspapers said that by that time he would have served 12 years and four months.
