The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović Anti-Empire >>
A bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog. We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader 2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy Human Rights in Ireland >>
|
North's State-sponsored killers and the law
national |
crime and justice |
opinion/analysis
Tuesday November 29, 2005 12:41 by Alban McGuinness - SDLP
![Report this post to the editors Report this post to the editors](../graphics/report.gif)
Justice denied and the public robbed of truth
The killers of 2,100 victims will get away scot-free in a mockey of of the proper truth and justice process. In February 1997, Presbyterian minister David Templeton was savagely beaten by the UVF. Mr Templeton had previously been caught at Belfast International Airport bringing a gay adult pornographic video into the country.
On the basis of this, the UVF presumed - wrongly - that he was a paedophile. These brave guardians of public morality arrived at his house and beat him senseless with baseball bats into which they had hammered nails. Rev Templeton died six weeks later.
Before he died he identified one of his assailants, a notorious UVF killer who was also an RUC informer. Despite this, the killer was never prosecuted for Rev Templeton's murder. In fact, he is believed to have been involved in at least seven other murders - and let away with each one by RUC Special Branch. The man, who has since been deactivated as an informer, has not served a day in prison for these murders. Nor have his RUC handlers who stood by and let murder after murder happen.
Now, under the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill they will not ever have to worry about appearing in court, never mind in prison. This legislation applies to anybody who could at any time be charged with any one of the 2,100 unsolved killings of the Troubles.
It applies to every unsolved IRA murder. It applies to every unsolved murder by loyalists - like that of Rev Templeton. This is so even if loyalist paramilitaries continue drug dealing and fail to decommission a single bullet. It even applies to state murders. State agents - paid by the public - are to be let away with murdering members of the public.
Not only has the British government supported this appalling situation, so too has Sinn Féin. Conor Murphy MP flew over to Westminster to welcome the legislation the day after Peter Hain made clear that state-sponsored killers would be protected. And when the SDLP criticised the legislation for letting state-sponsored killers off the hook, Martin McGuinness, on the BBC's Hearts and Minds programme of November 10th, dismissed our concerns and said he did "not envisage that any people who were involved in the murders of nationalists. . .is ever going to be brought before a court in this day and age."
He admitted that state-sponsored killers would be able to get the benefit of the legislation but said that the people who would "gain most advantage from this are those nationalists and republicans who are on the run for over 30 years." Not once in the interview did he say that the legislation should not apply to state-sponsored killers.
So there you have it, on Mr McGuinness's own words. In return for the greater advantage of getting their "on-the-runs" back with no questions asked, Sinn Féin has sold out victims of loyalists and the state.
Let us be clear. This legislation does not just deny families justice, it robs them - and the public - of truth. Because there is no time limit in this legislation, the killers of 2,100 people have no incentive to come forward and tell the truth. They can sit back and wait to see if the police ever come knocking on their doors, secure in the knowledge that if they do, they need not worry - they can apply under this legislation to avoid jail at any time.
So much for British justice. So much for Sinn Féin's "Ireland of equals". So much for truth and reconciliation.
Surely, in the Ireland of 2005, we are entitled to expect better than this. The SDLP is calling on Irish democratic leaders to raise with the British government our profound concerns about this legislation. We are also calling on Sinn Féin to do the right thing and call on Tony Blair to withdraw this Bill and work with parties and victims to devise a proper truth and justice process.
|
View Full Comment Text
save preference
Comments (7 of 7)