Posted by Jim on February 11, 2015
PRESS STATEMENT FROM RELATIVES FOR JUSTICE
Ballymurphy Massacre Torture Case Conviction Quashed
A man tortured during the Ballymurphy Massacre and who was subsequently convicted of riotous behaviour today had his conviction quashed.
Terry Laverty, and his brother John, were caught up in an attack on their local area by the British Army’s Parachute Regiment, in what has become known as the Ballymurphy Massacre, August 9th to 11th 1971. The incident claimed 11 lives, including Terry’s brother John. Many others were injured.
Terry Laverty was detained, stripped, beaten, and made to run barefoot over broken glass and through a gauntlet of British Army soldiers who beat him. One soldier told Terry he’d ‘already killed one Irish bastard and that another wouldn’t matter.’ This same soldier put his gun to Terry’s head and pulled the trigger, unknown to Terry the safety was on. Terry was then taken to Girdwood Barracks and held for 56 hours were he was further tortured.He was then charged with riotous behaviour and brought directly to court in a forced state of undress and with glass still in his bloodied feet, unaware that his brother John had been murdered only yards from where he was assaulted.
In a statement, released through Relatives for Justice Terry Laverty said:
“This is an emotional day. I survived with horrific consequences. My family and I have struggled to get this far. I want to thank my wife and my family who have been there for me throughout the darkest of times as a result of my experiences and who are supporting me to right this wrong.
“My brother John was murdered. I owe it to my family and my brother’s memory to ensure that the lies are challenged and the truth is officially told about what really happened over those three days in August 1971. I believe that the soldier who made reference to killing ‘one Irish bastard’ was the same soldier who killed my brother John.
“My parents went to their grave without the truth being officially acknowledged and told. They had to live with the loss of their son John, and the official lies.
“I can still see my father standing in the public gallery of the court where I appeared after being tortured. I can’t imagine his anguish bearing up and supporting us all, with John’s body still in the morgue. And how he broke that awful news to me and yet also struggled to get bail for me to attend John’s funeral. “My mother’s dignity and love saw us through those darkest of days. “I’ve gained my courage from both of their memories.
“This is a significant step towards righting a terrible injustice and setting the record straight. There remains a distance to go but this is a good first step.
“Finally I want to thank Relatives for Justice for all their help and support and especially Andrée Murphy who has supported me for the past decade.
“I also want to thank my lawyers Kevin Winters, Joe McVeigh and Chris Stanley.”
RFJ’s Deputy Director, Andrée Murphy, said: “This is an important step forward in addressing an egregious violation that by any standard constitutes a war crime. “There will be many others who were also subjected to such torture and hopefully the courage of Terry will give them hope to come forward.” ENDS
Posted by Jim on February 9, 2015
The meeting was held and hosted by Brian O’Dwyer at his offices the Law Offices of O’Dwyer & Bernstein.
In attendance representatives of the Irish-American, Ulster and Irish business, artistic, community and historical organizations. including the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America represented by National President Brendan Moore, National & NYS Board member Dan Dennehy and members from New York area.
Current and longstanding Justice, incarceration, policing, historical inquiries and painfully remaining issues many covered by Anne’s book Lethal Allies like Pat Finucane, Bloody Sunday, Loughlinisland, Ballymurphy were among discussed in an open and clear dialog w SOS and NIO representatives.
The SOS related that 10 weeks of talks often faced collapse and were restored by commitment and patience from all parties, that it is a preference to remain committed and work harder on the issues of the North, even those that were not seen to agreement.
Very grateful to Brian O’Dwyer and NIO for opportunity to attend, share the views, opinions and suggestions at in round table and clear face to face discussions with SOS Villiers and other representatives of NIO and SOS and NY British consular staff on up to date issues including dealing with the past, victims, Craigavon2, flags, policing, strip search, education, jobs, etc. and no topic was limited and many viewpoints and positions demonstrated by all participants.
The Irish peace process in the USA saw the Offices of ODB as the setting for the 1st meetings with then candidate Bill Clinton on N Ireland. It is gratifying that once again a new level of commitment, dialog and communications has been set at that venue.
Thank you,
Dan Dennehy
Chairman
National & NYS Immigration:
Ancient Order of Hibernians in America Inc
Posted by Jim on February 6, 2015
A Belfast Telegraph article by Ruth Dudley Edwards mocked Americans for their support of Ireland’s struggle for freedom. Her ire was principally aimed at Martin Galvin, a Bronx based attorney selected as an Aide to the Grand Marshal of the 2015 NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He was for decades Publicity Director of the Irish Northern Aid Committee and a former Editor of the IRISH PEOPLE newspaper. Ms. Edwards depicts herself as a journalist, satirist, free-lance writer and historian. However, when the subject is her native Ireland she is a British apologist, a character assassin and a propagandist. She is badly informed on Northern Ireland.
I worked alongside Martin for many years exposing Britain’s corrupt and violent legacy in N. I. Ms. Edwards sees Galvin and “stupid NORAID people” as arrogant Americans who had some cheek interfering with Britain’s internal colonial affairs. Like some fossil aristocrat from a DOWNTON ABBEY episode, she longed for the days when internment, censorship, the police and the British Army could keep Catholics in their place in the North.
She claimed NORAID peddled “hate filled propaganda” but offered no examples. The loyalists were taught to hate Catholics. The best example of how well they were taught was the daily attacks in 2001 on primary school girls at Holy Cross School in North Belfast. It’s only parallel in America would be the white supremacists of Alabama taunting and injuring black students seeking an education. She has little to say of those like Rev. George Seawright who called for the incineration of Catholics or the daily and violent intimidation of Catholics in the workplace. Loyalists, she insists, are the real ‘victims.’
Rages Edwards: Who was Martin Galvin to appear at a peaceful protest in Belfast after Her Majesty’s Government had banned him? A violent police rush through the seated crowd to stop Galvin resulted in the unlawful and unjustified killing of Sean Downes. She glibly excuses his death as justified by a loyalist judge. Instead of relying on press releases, she really should read LETHAL ALLIES by Ann Cadwallader, the de Silva report of the murder of attorney Patrick Finucane, or British police reports by John Stalker and Sir John Stevens all of which document the lawless, corrupt and murderous actions of the police and British Army. Galvin did.
She cites Martin’s support of dissidents opposed to the 1998 “Good Friday” pact as encouraging those who months after planted a bomb in Omagh killing 29 civilians. Edwards neglects to mention that British police and MI-5 knew the target and tracked the bombers but chose to do nothing to stop the slaughter. You see it wasn’t only dissident Republicans who had doubts about the Agreement. So did MI-5 and the Royal Ulster Constabulary who had the most to lose if peace came to the North. In 1974 the British Army operatives delivered and detonated car bombs in the shopping centers of Dublin and Monaghan in the largest mass murder ever in Ireland. Britain hides behind the Official Secrets Act and refuses to disclose details of these ‘ bookend’ bombings which framed the conflict. Mums the word from Ruth Dudley Edwards!
This conflict would still be raging were it not for American voices like Martin Galvin’s opposing U. S. arms for the lawless RUC, supporting the MacBride Fair Employment Principles, advocating for a visa for Gerry Adams, protesting prisoner treatment, demanding an end to internment and, yes, raising questions about the ‘reformed’ RUC and the malevolent forces still covering up the legacy of British misrule.
Most American and Irish citizens, and I would add, most British Subjects, know little of Britain’s ham fisted rule in Ulster. It is that swamp of ignorance in which she thrives and which Galvin sought to eliminate. His gritty determination, personal sacrifice and courage are what makes America great. It will one day rid Ireland of those who have divided the people of Ireland and still work to postpone reconciliation and peace.
Michael J. Cummings
Posted by Jim on February 5, 2015
February 4, 2015 by
Greg Sean Canning
In addressing the continued miscarriage of justice by the Diplock Courts of the British government, the National FFAI Co-Chairmen of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America are requesting the help and support of all of our Brothers, Sisters and supporters of
Freedom For All Ireland in bringing closure to the unjust conviction of
John Paul Wooten and
Brendan McConville in the 2009 murder of PSNI Constable Steven Carroll in Craigavon, Co. Armagh. Both men have maintained their innocence since the day of their arrest. Despite the fact that
the state legal team, charged with handling this case,
has failed to prove the charges against Mr. Wooten and Mr. McConville, these men remain prisoners due to an unjust and biased legal system. Their arrest 5 years ago and continued imprisonment was reliant on the word of a very dubious witness, which was proven contradictory and finally discredited by forensic evidence. Further compounding this case is the fact that the state, for reasons that can only be politically motivated, has refused to afford both men a fair trial. Had the case against John Paul Wooten and Brendan McConville been brought before an American or European court, both men would have been acquitted. Important
Facts that caused the state case against these two men to fail are listed below:
- The witness, mentioned above, did not come forward for 11 months.
- This witness was intoxicated when he contacted the PSNI (the Police Service of Northern Ireland).
- This witness was found to have continuously lied under oath.
- This witness’s statements were at times contradictory to what was stated earlier.
- One of this witness’s statements was proven to have been medically impossible.
- This witness’s identity was hidden from Mr. Wooten’s and Mr. McConville’s legal defense team to prevent proper cross-examination.
- This witness benefited financially from this involvement in the case.
- A covert British army unit was found to have been involved in evidence tampering.A tracking device fitted to John Paul Wootton’s car shows that his vehicle at no time went anywhere near the housing estate where the AK47 used in the shooting was later discovered.
- Data from the tracking device was mysteriously wiped out whilst in the hands of the army. No plausible explanation was given as to why this happened.
- When the AK47 that was used in the shooting was discovered, a partial fingerprint was found on the internal spring mechanism of the magazine. This fingerprint was checked against the fingerprints of Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton. No matches were found.
These are just some of the facts of this case. Mr. McConville was sentenced to 25 years, while Mr. Wooten (17 years of age at the time of his arrest) was sentenced to 14 years. The continued imprisonment of these men, despite the failure of the state and its legal team to prove their case against them, is indeed an ongoing miscarriage of justice. John Paul Wooten, Brendan McConville, with their families and many supporters would be greatly appreciative of any assistance our AOH Brothers, Sisters, and friends feel is appropriate in helping to bring this miscarriage of justice and false imprisonment to a final closure. 
Posted by Jim on January 29, 2015
- Twelve-year Saville Inquiry concluded murdered protestors were unarmed
- Soldiers could face murder, attempted murder and criminal injury charges for deaths which occurred in 1972
By Jennifer Smith
As many as 20 retired British soldiers could face being arrested for murder in connection with the Bloody Sunday shootings of 1972.
Attempted murder and criminal injury charges could also be brought against the men, most of whom are now in their sixties and seventies.
The soldiers face questioning under criminal caution for their involvement in the incident which killed 14 Catholic civil rights protestors in Londonderry, Ireland.
An armed soldier attacks a protestor on Bloody Sunday when British Paratroopers shot dead 14 civilians on a civil rights march in Derry City
As many as 20 British Paratroopers could face murder charges for the deaths of Irish protestors on Bloody Sunday in 1972
The development comes three years after a £200m inquiry by Lord Saville into the shootings produced its report based on 12 years of investigation.
Its findings concluded that all those shot by paratroopers during the march in the Bogside area of Londonderry were unarmed, rendering their deaths ‘unjustified and unjustifiable’.
The judge added the army had lost control of the situation which is known as one of the most poignant incidents of the Troubles.
The Ministry of Defence has started sourcing legal representatives on behalf of the soldiers, who have never been formally interviewed by police in relation to the shootings.
Colonel Edward Loden, who commanded the unit involved in the attack, was killed earlier this year in Kenya.
Loden was exonerated by the Saville Inquiry into the killings, which said that he did not realise his soldiers might be firing at people who did not pose a threat.
A source close to the case told The Sunday Times: ‘It is possible that some of the soldiers will be prosecuted’, adding that action would be ‘imminent’.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland however said the case could take a little longer.
A spokesman said: ‘Preliminary work has begun into what will be a lengthy and complex investigation into the events of January 30, 1972.
‘For the investigation to be as comprehensive and effective as possible, police will be asking for public support in the form of witnesses who gave evidence to the Saville inquiry.’
The representative also revealed detectives would be prohibited from including Saville testimony to pursue criminal charges.
