Posted by Jim on February 3, 2018
Victims of the conflict have announced plans for a mass march in Belfast
to demand action on efforts to deal with the legacy of the conflict.
A number of groups representing relatives bereaved at different times
have come together under the banner “Time for Truth” and urged people to
join their protest on February 25.
It comes as various attempts to bring closure to conflict killings have
failed due to a refusal to provide resources or the legal constraint of
“national security”.
Announcing the march, Emma Rogan, whose father Adrian was shot dead in
the UVF Loughinisland massacre in County Down in 1994, said the truth
cost nothing.
“I am calling on everyone to come out, put your feet on the streets and
march with us,” she said. “Solidarity, everybody together sending a
strong clear message that we deserve and we need the truth. It’s human
decency that people would get the truth and know what happened to their
loved ones and know why.”
She added: “I was eight years old when my father was murdered. He was
34, not much older than I am now. For him and his memory, and for his
legacy, I require the truth and I need the truth for him.
“He was afforded no dignity in his death. He lay dying along with five
other men on a pub floor in ’94 while they watched the World Cup. The
truth costs nothing, the truth belongs to everybody.”
At the launch event, John Teggart, whose father Danny was killed by
soldiers in Ballymurphy in west Belfast in 1971, rejected the suggestion
the march would only represent one side of the community.
“It is open to all families irrespective of their backgrounds who lost
loved ones or who were injured in the conflict,” he said.
“We are calling on all sections of society to support the Time for Truth
march, the pursuit of the truth is a matter for all society. This covers
all walks of life – all victims under the one banner.”
New evidence emerged this week that the PSNI have secretly been
withholding files containing evidence supplied by the British Minister
of Defence from as far back as 2007. The police have claimed they didn’t
know they had the database in their possession, and admitted it had not
been included when providing intelligence material for conflict-related
inquests.
Sinn Fein described the development as “staggering”. Republican Network
for Unity said it was “just another cover up within an act of
collusion”.
A number of completed inquests which could be impacted by the
revelation. Padraig O Muirigh, who has represented families in four
completed inquests as well as several pending cases, said it was
“astonishing”.
“Once again there are serious question marks about how the PSNI have
handled legacy cases in the coroners court and related proceedings,” he
said.
“The families I represent have no confidence in the PSNI, or indeed MoD,
fulfilling their obligations with respect to legacy inquests and
consideration should be given to some independent oversight of the
disclosure process.”
Mike Ritchie of Relatives for Justice also said it “beggars belief that
nobody thought that this information would be relevant for inquests”,
while Paul O’Connor of the Pat Finucane Centre said “there are going to
be a large number of families that have serious questions”.
Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly said the PSNI’s explanation was not acceptable.
“They still haven’t clarified who decided not to tell the disclosure
unit,” he said.
Posted by Jim on
Fifty years on from the launch of the civil rights movement,
nationalists are contining to battle for equality in the face of
systematic and opportunistic discrimination.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the famous civil rights marches
from Coalisland to Dungannon and at Duke Street in Derry city. Images
of the RUC beating protestors at Duke Street were broadcast around the
world by the international media.
But while nationalist politicians have been bickering over who should
get credit for the civil rights movement, it emerged this week that
Catholics are still almost 50% more likely to be unemployed as
Protestants. The latest annual figures released by the Stormont
administration this week showed that the inequality gap is actually
widening.
In sports, nationalist teams are currently prevented from playing at a
publicly owned sports pitch in North Belfast due to a loyalist threat.
And there was international disbelief when a local council announced
this week that it had blocked the flying of Irish flags at a public St
Patrick’s Day celebration.
Derry City and Strabane District Council said that as it had provided
some funding, it would insist no flags be used at the St Patrick’s Day
event. The council’s move has left it open to accusations of anti-Irish
discrimination, as it has never previously objected to the use of the
British flag at loyalist events.
Independent republican councillor Paul Gallagher said the changes were
a result of a mistaken “interpretation of legislation” by councillors
Sinn Fein is to seek to reverse the decision.
Meanwhile, pupils from Irish-medium schools across the north have been
forced to protest at Stormont parliament buildings over the
discrimination that Irish language speakers face on a daily basis.
Katy-Rose Meade, an A-level student from Colaiste Feirste secondary
school in Belfast, addressed the rally on the steps of Parliament
Buildings.
“The community has organised and mobilised for over 12 months, and will
continue to do so until our rights are delivered, as was promised more
than 12 years ago (in the St Andrews Agreement),” she said.
“I was six when that promise was made and during my lifetime I have
witnessed obstacle after obstacle placed before the growth of our
community-led revival.
“That community has had enough. Nothing other than a stand-alone
rights-based Irish-language Act, as is afforded to other minority
language communities on these islands, will do,” Katy-Rose added.
Posted by Jim on
There was widespread shock this week after it was confirmed that
loyalist Special Branch double agent Gary Haggarty could be freed
within weeks despite pleading guilty to five murders, five attempted
murders and hundreds of other crimes.
A 35-year jail term was reduced to six-and-a-half years for his support
of the British state and agreeing to give evidence. But despite working
as a paid police informer for 11 years, a prosecution using his
testimony is only set to go ahead in one case.
With time served on remand, Haggarty is now eligible to appear before
parole board hearing which could secure his immediate release.
Haggarty committed hundreds of offences alongside the unionist
paramilitary UVF in the period from 1991 to 2007. His murder victims
included innocent Catholic workmen Eamon Fox and Gary Convie, killed as
they had lunch together in a car in north Belfast in 1994.
Mr Fox’s son Kieran said he felt let down.
“What is justice in this country? It is just designed to look after the
criminal,” he said.
“How can a man convicted of that many crimes be set free? The man is a
serial killer, he was a paid state informer, he was allowed to kill at
will, police knew he was killing at will and let it continue.”
He added: “You live by the sword, you die by the sword.
“All the families here today did not ask to be here, we were dragged
into this through no fault of their own. The police could have prevented
us being here today but did not, they were prepared to look after a
criminal, a terrorist, back him.
“It just seems life in this jurisdiction here, you are dispensable, it
doesn’t matter, get on with it.”
Also killed was grandfather Sean McParland, who was shot dead by
Haggarty in front of his children simply to protect his position as an
informer. To “prove himself” to fellow gang members and avoid suspicion
that he was an informer, Haggarty volunteered to take the lead role in
the murder. He shot Mr McParland at close range in the chest.
Haggarty’s murder victims also included John Harbinson, who was beaten
to death with a hammer by a UVF gang in North Belfast in May 1997 —
afterwards Haggarty went and had a drink in a nearby house — and Sean
McDermott, a 37-year-old Catholic found shot dead in his car near Antrim
in August 1994.
Prosecutors have claimed Haggarty’s evidence is insufficient to provide
a reasonable prospect of obtaining a conviction against 11 other
suspected loyalist paramilitaries and the “police intelligence officers”
who directed his actions.
Andree Murphy of Relatives for Justice said he trial and sentencing of
Haggarty gave scant attention to the actions of the RUC/PSNI, and why
they failed to prevent or actively assisted in the targeting of
individuals.
“It seems perverse that Haggarty’s evidence is good enough to convict
him, and potentially other loyalists, but deemed to fall short when it
comes to RUC Special Branch Officers,” she said.
In a statement, Niall Murphy of the Kevin Winters law firm said their
clients feared that “the entire process has been stage managed and
directed to ensure that no prosecutions were ever brought — the
fundamental premise underpinning that guarantee, being the fact that
state agents and employees are a species protected from prosecution.”
He particularly condemned the failure to prosecute the attempted murder
of John Flynn, even though the PSNI had paid him compensation for the
RUC’s role in two attacks, and excoriated the use of a sick note by a
member of the Special Branch to successfully avoid other prosecutions.
He said it was the most concerning decision not to prosecute a case in
court since the murder of journalist Martin O’Hagan.
He added: “What of the role of the two Registered Informants who
accompanied Haggarty to Skegoneill Avenue to commit the murder [of Sean
McParland], and the other Registered Informant who prepared the second
getaway car. Or indeed the role of the Registered Informant who
selected the house for the murderous attack and perhaps most
concerningly the roles of Haggarty’s Special Branch handlers who he
asserts were directing him on a murderous rampage of terrorism to fulfil
Special Branch’s own intelligence interests and security ambitions for
the north Belfast UVF?”
Sinn Fein MLA Raymond McCartney last night said the families of those
killed and injured by Haggarty had “received neither truth nor justice”.
“This reduced sentence means that he is effectively getting away with
murder,” he said.”But families are also being denied the truth around
allegations that Haggarty’s RUC Special Branch may have ignored warnings
about murder and may have covered up his involvement in murders and
attempted murders over many years.”
Posted by Jim on February 2, 2018
FDNY BRAVEST BOXING TEAM
Join the FDNY Bravest Boxing Team as they take on the Garda Siochana Boxing Club of the Irish National Police Service for the 2018 Transatlantic Championship on Friday, March 30th, 2018 at Terminal 5, 610 W 56th Street, NYC. Doors open at 7pm, the first bout begins at 8pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.FDNYBoxing.com and cost $30 for general admission (first come, first served) or $50 for a VIP ringside seat. Proceeds benefit Building Homes for Heroes.FRIENDS OF FIREFIGHTERS EVENTS
- On the Arm Breakfast at Friends of Firefighters
On Wednesday, February 14th, from 8-11am, drop by the firehouse for a Valentine’s Day breakfast prepared with love by retired firefighters Tony Cat, Pete Colascione, and Billy Hodgens. Catch up over hot coffee and a delicious meal. No RSVP needed. Bring your appetite!
- Firehouse Kitchen Talk at Friends of Firefighters
On Tuesday, February 27th, from 6-9pm, Lt. Rob Brown (L120) will be presenting on “Heart Health.”
- Firehouse Kitchen Talk at Friends of Firefighters
On Tuesday, March 27th, from 6-9pm, Captain ‘K9’ Kananowicz (E53) will be presenting on “Helping FDNY with family members with special needs.”
As always, Firehouse Kitchen Talks are FREE to all active and retired FDNY members, and include a mouthwatering dinner prepared by firefighters, for firefighters.
THE NEVER FORGET FOUNDATION
The Never Forget Foundation invites you to the unveiling and blessing of their 911 Memorial on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Redwood Club, 2680 Schurz Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10465. Coffee will be served at 9:00 am, followed by the unveiling at 11: |
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Posted by Jim on February 1, 2018
“All this coming on top of other issues regarding the Northern Ireland police is very troubling.There is nothing more important for the Irish Peace Process than an acceptable police service, as promised by the Good Friday Agreement :
“fair and impartial, free from partisan political control; accountable, both under the law for its actions and to the community it serves …”—Fr. Sean Mc Manus
PSNI handling of legacy inquests ‘putting nationalist confidence in policing at risk’
John Manley. Irish News. Belfast. Thursday, February 1, 2018
THE PSNI’s handling of legacy inquests is jeopardizing Nationalist [“Catholic”] confidence in policing, it was claimed last night.
It came as police appeared to concede that some relevant material held on a military intelligence database may not have been disclosed to inquests over the last decade.
Presiding coroner Mrs. Justice Keegan revealed yesterday that the database – which includes Ministry of Defense (Mod) documents – has been in the possession of the PSNI since 2007 but has not been routinely searched when compiling disclosure of intelligence material for legacy cases.
The PSNI Disclosure Unit said it was not aware it was in police possession, a revelation described as “astonishing” by one solicitor.
The Police Ombudsman’s office has requested additional information from the force ahead of potential investigation.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, head of the PSNI’s legacy and justice department, yesterday said the database containing military and police intelligence was passed to it for “safe keeping” at the end of the British army’s Operation Banner in 2007 and police and the MoD agreed that each would be responsible for its own material.
“Since then, the PSNI has been disclosing police material held on the database to the coroner, as well as informing the coroner of our knowledge of any relevant military intelligence on the database, so that the coroner could request further disclosure from the Ministry of Defense,” he said.
“Following a recent legacy investigation and having taken further advice about his disclosure responsibilities, the Chief Constable has now directed that because the PSNI holds the database, the PSNI has legal duties of disclosure in relation to the material stored in it.
“PSNI has informed the Presiding Coronial Judge and other criminal justice partners of this matter and has begun a process of checking the military database to ensure that our full disclosure duties are met.
“We hope that in most cases the majority of relevant material will have already been disclosed by the MoD.
“PSNI remains committed to ensuring that all legal duties placed upon the Police Service are fully discharged, despite the real and significant resourcing pressures it continues to face.”
John Teggart, a spokesman for relatives of 10 people shot dead by British soldiers in 1971 in what became known as the Ballymurphy Massacre, said they had “grave concerns” about the revelations.
“We are calling for clarification around this statement and have raised this issue with our legal representatives. We are months away from our full inquests – all this is very distressing for the families,” he said.
A son of Co Derry GAA official Sean Brown, who was shot dead by the LVF in 1997, also voiced concern.
Damian Brown said: “It really does raise questions about what might be in this intelligence database that the PSNI apparently forgot they had.”
Mike Ritchie of Relatives for Justice also said it “beggars belief that nobody thought that this information would be relevant for inquests”, while Paul O’Connor of the Pat Finucane Centre said “there are going to be a large number of families that have serious questions”.
Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly last night said the PSNI’s explanation was “not acceptable”.
“They still haven’t clarified who decided not to tell the disclosure unit,” he added.
The SDLP’s Dolores Kelly said senior police have “serious questions to answer about how this was allowed to happen and if the organisation’s disclosure mechanisms are fit for purpose at all now”.
“The PSNI’s handing of legacy inquests is now putting confidence from the nationalist community in policing at risk. That must be addressed.”