23.1.05
Sunday Life
Prison spat!
Spooked by adair's release shoukri's angry exchange may lead to loss of privileges
23 January 2005
Top loyalist, Ihab Shoukri, was involved in a behind-bars bust-up - less than 24 hours after going back to jail.
Shoukri, who opted to swap his home in Bangor, for a Maghaberry prison cell, was involved in an angry exchange with a nationalist prisoner, during which he is believed to have spat in the man's face.
He squared up to Anthony Wilson - currently on remand in connection with a horrific car-theft, during which a 16-month-old baby was thrown from a stolen car.
Wilson strenuously protests his innocence of the car-theft charges.
But, now Shoukri faces losing HIS prison privileges, after it was claimed he spat in Wilson's face.
Said a jailhouse source: "Shoukri was on edge the moment he came back into the prison.
"He's like a ticking bomb waiting to go off.
"The incident could have turned really ugly, but there was no shortage of people about to stop it kicking off."
Shoukri's decision, to go back to Maghaberry, came on the same day that ousted UDA terror boss, Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair, was spirited out of the Co Antrim prison.
The brother of UDA north Belfast 'brigadier', Andre Shoukri, declined to oppose a crown bid to revoke his bail, while he awaits trial of charges of UFF membership.
His lawyer told the High Court, in Belfast: "He finds the position he is living in intolerable, and it is having an affect on his health."
Under the terms of his bail, Shoukri had been ordered to stay out of Belfast, and banned from associating with terrorists - including his brother, Andre.
Some loyalist sources have suggested that Adair's release frightened the 30-year-old, and made up his mind that he would be safer behind bars.
Loyalist sources in east Belfast have said that he has been involved in a falling out with rival loyalists, in the north Down area.
Said one source: "Shoukri has been very badly spooked - the only time you see people that bad, is when they have had a gun put to their head."
Unemployed Wilson (22), from the Short Strand area of Belfast, was remanded in custody last month, after being accused of withholding information about the car theft.
Cruel thieves, who stole a family car from a supermarket car park, hurled a 16-month-old baby from the vehicle, as they sped off.
A Prison Service spokeswoman, last week, said: "There was an incident in 'visits' on January 11, during which a prisoner is alleged to have spat at another prisoner.
"He has been charged under prison rules.
"An adjudication hearing has been opened, but adjourned."
cmcguigan@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Prison spat!
Spooked by adair's release shoukri's angry exchange may lead to loss of privileges
23 January 2005
Top loyalist, Ihab Shoukri, was involved in a behind-bars bust-up - less than 24 hours after going back to jail.
Shoukri, who opted to swap his home in Bangor, for a Maghaberry prison cell, was involved in an angry exchange with a nationalist prisoner, during which he is believed to have spat in the man's face.
He squared up to Anthony Wilson - currently on remand in connection with a horrific car-theft, during which a 16-month-old baby was thrown from a stolen car.
Wilson strenuously protests his innocence of the car-theft charges.
But, now Shoukri faces losing HIS prison privileges, after it was claimed he spat in Wilson's face.
Said a jailhouse source: "Shoukri was on edge the moment he came back into the prison.
"He's like a ticking bomb waiting to go off.
"The incident could have turned really ugly, but there was no shortage of people about to stop it kicking off."
Shoukri's decision, to go back to Maghaberry, came on the same day that ousted UDA terror boss, Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair, was spirited out of the Co Antrim prison.
The brother of UDA north Belfast 'brigadier', Andre Shoukri, declined to oppose a crown bid to revoke his bail, while he awaits trial of charges of UFF membership.
His lawyer told the High Court, in Belfast: "He finds the position he is living in intolerable, and it is having an affect on his health."
Under the terms of his bail, Shoukri had been ordered to stay out of Belfast, and banned from associating with terrorists - including his brother, Andre.
Some loyalist sources have suggested that Adair's release frightened the 30-year-old, and made up his mind that he would be safer behind bars.
Loyalist sources in east Belfast have said that he has been involved in a falling out with rival loyalists, in the north Down area.
Said one source: "Shoukri has been very badly spooked - the only time you see people that bad, is when they have had a gun put to their head."
Unemployed Wilson (22), from the Short Strand area of Belfast, was remanded in custody last month, after being accused of withholding information about the car theft.
Cruel thieves, who stole a family car from a supermarket car park, hurled a 16-month-old baby from the vehicle, as they sped off.
A Prison Service spokeswoman, last week, said: "There was an incident in 'visits' on January 11, during which a prisoner is alleged to have spat at another prisoner.
"He has been charged under prison rules.
"An adjudication hearing has been opened, but adjourned."
cmcguigan@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
