Orange hall attacked with digger
A hall owned by the Orange Order in County Tyrone was partially demolished when a mechanical digger was driven through a wall by republicans in the area.
A 12ft by 12ft hole was left in one wall of the Moree Orange hall near Pomeroy following the early morning attack.
Extensive damage was also done to the roof of the building.
Police said it was a deliberate act of destruction and they were keeping an open mind about a motive.
On the left is a picture of Moree Orange Hall after the republican attack
But an Ulster Unionist councillor blamed republicans for the attack.
A local from the area said -
"this is why West of the Bann is green, because of systematic ethnic cleansing of isoloated Protestants from their farms and homes by republicans who will not leave their Protestant neighbours alone to live in peace and enjoy our culture and hertiage. Everyone talks of rights where are ours under the signing of the 'Belfast Agreement' where is our parity of esteem and recognition of our culture and traditions."
Burns' night supper
Billy Armstrong, a UUP Assemblyman for Mid-Ulster, said: "It just looks as if someone was there to start to demolish the hall.
"On Saturday night they had their Burns' supper and they thought they were able to exercise their culture - but it wasn't long until the nationalist republican people of that area let them know this was only short lived."
The incident was reported to police shortly before 0600 GMT and a forensic examination is to be carried out later.
A spokesman for Moree Orange hall said the building had been attacked on numerous occasions in the past.
"This Orange hall was only rebuilt in 1999 after being burned down on July 13, 1997 in an arson attack by republicans," he said.
"In the previous times, there have been about six attacks on this hall - arson, stone throwing, minor attacks, major attacks."
Click on related links below
Orange Hall broken into and Memorial smashed
Moree Orange Lodge 195 website detailing republican attacks
Orange Halls attacked over the Province
