SAOIRSE32

MURDER ON THE ROCK

How the British Government got away with murder

by Maxine Williams

INTRODUCTION

Mairead Farrell

When IRA members Mairead Farrell, Daniel McCann and Sean Savage were shot dead by the SAS on a sunny afternoon in Gibraltar their deaths were immediately welcomed by the British government, the Labour Party and the press. They acclaimed the killings as a ‘victory’ against terrorism. The bodies of the three were flown back to Ireland and there too the enemies of Republicanism hounded them to their graves. The RUC and British Army obstructed the passage of their coffins through the mourning Six Counties. A Loyalist gunman attacked the funerals, killing three people.

Sean Savage

In the six months before the inquest into the Gibraltar shootings began the question of whether they had been victims of a British shoot-to-kill operation was debated. The controversy was fuelled by witnesses and evidence flatly contradicting the British version of events. The British government responded with an unparalleled cover-up.

Daniel McCann

Six months later, when the inquest jury returned its verdict of lawful killing, there was intense relief in Downing Street. Mrs Thatcher’s government had meticulously planned and worked to ensure that this was the verdict reached. It is not surprising that they should attach such importance to the Gibraltar inquest. It was one of the rare occasions on which British activity against Irish people had been subjected to such serious international scrutiny.

Had the inquest decided that the three were murdered, the effects for the government and its strategy in Ireland would have been incalculable. Not only would the British government and its forces have been made to account for their murderous actions in Gibraltar, but also the questions that remain unanswered from previous shoot-to-kill operations and the Stalker affair would have been placed at the centre of public debate. The British government simply could not allow this to happen.

Barely had the spent cartridges been gathered from the streets of Gibraltar before the government began its campaign to prevent such a disastrous outcome. The machinery of disinformation swung smoothly into operation. The next day’s newspapers were full of the government’s story. The Daily Telegraph was typical:

‘British soldiers… shot dead three high ranking IRA terrorists… in Gibraltar yesterday, shortly after the gang had planted a massive car bomb… shooting broke out when the three were challenged.’

The government had made sure that the public’s first and most significant impression was that three armed IRA members had been shot having just planted a massive bomb.

Only on the day after the shootings did the House of Commons hear Geoffrey Howe admit:

‘those killed were subsequently found not to have been carrying arms. The parked car… did not contain an explosive device.’

>>>Read on

BBC: ON THIS DAY

**article appearing day after incident

7 March 1988: IRA gang shot dead in Gibraltar

Two IRA members were shot dead at this petrol station

The IRA has confirmed the three people shot dead by security forces in Gibraltar yesterday were members of an active service unit.

They are reported to have planted a 500lb car bomb near the British Governor’s residence. It was primed to go off tomorrow during a changing of the guard ceremony, which is popular with tourists.

The three - two men and a woman - were shot as they walked towards the border with Spain. Security officers say they were acting suspiciously and the officers who carried out the shootings believed their lives were in danger.

The three dead have been named as Daniel McCann, 30 and Sean Savage, 24, both known IRA activists and Mairead Farrell, 31, the most senior member of the gang who had served 10 years for her part in the bombing of a hotel outside Belfast in 1976.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed last night military personnel had opened fire on three terrorist suspects. It said no weapons had been found at the scene.

The shooting happened in mid-afternoon.

One eyewitness said he had seen a man in jeans holding a pistol in both hands. He said the man was only four feet from one of those he killed.

Police sealed off the area for several hours after the shooting. A robot was brought in to defuse the car bomb and troops patrolled the streets. Local residents were warned to stay indoors.

The terrorists’ target was the band and guard of the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, which arrived in Gibraltar recently after a tour of duty in Northern Ireland.

Army intelligence officers have been expecting an IRA attack on a military target for some months after a series of setbacks for the Provisionals. Reports say 20 members of the IRA have been killed in the past 15 months.

The Independent’s Ireland correspondent, David McKittrick, said 1987 was “a bad year” for the IRA. They lost eight active service members in an SAS ambush in Country Antrim.

He has raised speculation yesterday’s killings in Gibraltar may also have been the work of the SAS.

In Context

The Shootings on the Rock provoked a huge controversy.

Although initial reports made clear the three terrorists had been shot dead after planting a massive car bomb, within 24 hours, the Foreign Secretary, Geoffrey Howe, was forced to admit there had been no car bomb.

He told MPs the three were unarmed when they had been shot.

A car used by the bombers was found two days after the killings containing 140lb of Semtex with a device timed to go off during the changing of the guard.

An inquest in September concluded the three had been lawfully killed. However, the result was overturned at Strasbourg in 1995 when Britain was found to have used excessive force and breached the European Convention on Human Rights.

BBC

BBC told to hand over raid tapes

Chris Ward spoke to the BBC’s Spotlight programme

A judge has told the BBC to give tapes of an interview with a Northern Bank employee forced to co-operate with a gang who stole £26m to police. Chris Ward, abducted by the thieves during the robbery, gave an account of his ordeal to the Spotlight programme.

A week after the programme police applied for any unbroadcast material and notes to be handed over.

Judge Tom Burgess said the robbery investigation outweighed the BBC’s right to retain its own material.

In the course of the hearing the judge heard evidence from officers leading the hunt for the robbers, including sensitive intelligence information provided to him in closed court.

The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Superintendent Andrew Sproule, said the unbroadcast material would be useful, because Mr Ward might have mentioned things in his television interview he had not mentioned to police.

Mr Sproule said having access to that material and any notes would allow police, and eventually the prosecuting authorities, to establish the consistency of Mr Ward’s account for the purpose of determining his credibility as a witness.

The court heard that Mr Ward had been informed about the police application and had indicated that he had no objection to it.

Ordering the BBC to hand over any unbroadcast material and any notes of direct quotes of Mr Ward, Mr Burgess said the public interest in the investigation of the crime and the prosecution of those who committed it, outweighed the BBC’s right to retain its own material.

BBC

McCartney family get Bush invite

Robert McCartney, 33, was killed near Belfast city centre

The family of Belfast murder victim Robert McCartney will be invited to President George W Bush’s St Patrick’s Day reception, the BBC has learned.

The US government is not inviting local politicians to the White House bash, but is focusing attention on figures it believes are acting as peacemakers.

Mr McCartney, 33, was murdered on 30 January after a row in a bar. His family claim republicans were involved.

Mr McCartney’s sister, Paula, said they would use the invite to get justice.

“Our message will be to highlight the murder of our brother Robert. We will be asking him to support us in our campaign for justice and indeed for justice for Ireland,” she said.

In recent days, the IRA has expelled three members over the father-of-two’s murder, following an “internal investigation”, and Sinn Fein has suspended seven members suspected of involvement.

Robert McCartney’s sisters attended the Sinn Fein conference

At the weekend, family members attended Sinn Fein’s annual conference in Dublin.

In an address to delegates, Mr Adams said the killing was dreadful and the alleged involvement of some republicans made it a huge issue for Sinn Fein.

“As president of Sinn Fein or as an individual, I could not campaign for the victims of British or unionist paramilitary thuggery, if I was not as clear and as committed to justice for the McCartney family,” he said.

Mr McCartney’s sister Catherine said they were encouraged by Mr Adams’ speech but their only concern was to see the perpetrators in court.

All five of Mr McCartney’s sisters, and his partner Bridgeen, are going to Washington.

IrishExaminer.com

‘Brace yourselves for new beginning to policing’

07 March 2005
By Senan Hogan

SINN FÉIN has warned its supporters to brace themselves for a new beginning to policing in the North.
Delegates at the Árd Fheis in Dublin were told that if democratically accountable policing is achieved, the party will face fundamental challenges.

Party justice spokesman Gerry Kelly said a special delegate conference would be called if the party reaches its objectives under the Patten Report. “It is not an impossible task and republicans need to be acutely aware that if the republican leadership achieves the objectives set in this area, then this in turn will raise fundamental questions and problems for all activists.

“There is a public commitment if we reach that point to then put a changed policy to our membership and to nationalism as a whole.

“While we are at a substantial distance from that point yet, activists need to realise that we can achieve it and with achievement there is responsibility.”

The party yesterday debated policing motions during which it rejected calls for a boycott of policing initiatives, but delegates passed a motion calling for the Special Branch detective unit to be disbanded.

Speaking on republican participating in policing, Mr Kelly added: “Nobody said it would be easy. Here is the challenge facing us. “as political activists we must rethink strategically, debate strategically and decide what is best for our party.

“But we will pursue proper policing and justice with all our energy.”

Sinn Féin Dublin TD Aengus Ó Snodigh called for reform of the gardaí and said the party was committed to ultimately building an all-Ireland Police Service.

“We recognise that the gardaí are a legitimate police force - albeit one in need of fundamental reform.”

He said Sinn Féin across Dublin were working locally with the gardaí to increase accountability with the community.

Referring to the PSNI Chief Constable, Mr Kelly said: “Hugh Orde needs to know that he is not the justice minister in the North.

“We want to create a new policing service which is representative, accountable and free from partisan political control.”

Irelandclick.com

Only three days left to save your vote

With only three days to the March 10 deadline to register to vote in the May elections the Falls Community Council has urged the public to ensure that they are on the Electoral Register.

A recent campaign by the Falls Community Council and the Electoral Commission has seen 1,200 local voters registered within the last few weeks.
The Falls Community Council’s Steven Corr urged local people to ensure that they are on the Electoral Register.

“The campaign has been a great success and there are still a few days to go to register your vote,” said Steven.

“Those who haven’t already registered can do so at the Falls Community Council offices until Thursday. We will also be running a campaign over the next few weeks to ensure that local people have identification so they are able to vote,” he added.

To register or check you are on the Electoral Register telephone the Electoral Commission’s helpline on 0800 0323 700 or log on to www.secureyourvote.com

Journalist:: Staff Reporter

Irelandclick.com

West axed from City Marathon

Organisers want to make route “more attractive”

The decision not to include West Belfast in this year’s route of the Belfast City Marathon has been slammed by Sinn Féin and SDLP councillors.

Councillor Paul Maskey of Sinn Féin, who is Development Coordinator of Fáilte Feirste Thiar which promotes tourism locally, said the decision to axe West Belfast undermines the hard work done by the tourism organisation to promote that part of the city. Traditionally the Falls Road has been included in the city’s marathon but now that stage of the route has been axed in favour of a more “flatter and faster course” for participants.

Whilst Tiger’s Bay and the Lough Shore in North Belfast is included in the race, the rest of the marathon is focused on Central, South and East Belfast, starting at the City Hall and winding up at the Odyssey Complex by the River Lagan.

Danny O’Connor, chairman of the Marathon Committee, told the Andersonstown News that “there is a safety aspect involved”.

“To make the runners safer we would need to have roads closed as it’s too dangerous for the runners to share the traffic with the roads for up to six hours. Out by the Shore Road there is less traffic, we have managed to get part of the road coned off and we’ll be returning through a pathway that runs along the side of the lough,” he said.

“Secondly, we have heard complaints about the route by people who participate in the fun-run, they say it is more like an endurance test than fun so we wanted to remove the hilly areas.”

Mr O’Connor also pointed to the constraints involved regarding the 26 mile distance.

“We start at the City Hall and are limited by mileage down to the very metre so we have to make it exact.”

He also said that the organisers are trying to have the Belfast Marathon included on the international marathon map and by making the route ‘more attractive’, they are likely to attract more participants as well as the media.
But Paul Maskey those excuses don’t wash.

“All other parts of Belfast are included on the marathon route and I think it is an absolute disgrace that West Belfast is not included,” he said.

“Events such as the marathon can be used to showcase an area and brings thousands into an area. The decision not to include West Belfast is a terrible one and undermines the hard work done by organizations such as Fáilte Feirste Thiar which has worked extremely hard to build up a positive image of West Belfast,” he added.

And this message was echoed by West Belfast MLA – and keen marathon runner – Alex Attwood. “The Belfast City Marathon has been successfully run through all areas of Belfast, north, south, east and west, for the last 23 years and it would be a far better route if it continued to enter and leave through all four regions of the city,” he said.

“The runners always received a warm welcome on the Falls and Andersonstown and it would be a loss to the community and a greater loss to the marathon if it doesn’t continue to pass through the West.”
The Belfast City Marathon takes place on May Day each year. This year it falls on May 2.

Journalist:: Staff Reporter

BBC

Death inquiry delay ‘outrageous’

Magilligan Prison

A High Court judge has said it is “outrageous” that a Derry woman still does not know the circumstances of her husband’s death in jail.

Patrick Mongan was found hanged in his cell at Magilligan prison in October 2003.

His widow, Julia, was granted leave by the High Court in Belfast on Monday to seek a judicial review into why the police investigation had been delayed.

Mr Justice Girvan described the delay as “outrageous”.

He said the system needed “shaking up”.

Mrs Mongan, from Carnhill, Shantallow, claimed she had been “kept in the dark” about the circumstances of her husband’s death.

She said she still had not been told the outcome of the investigations carried out by the prison service and police.

She also wants to see the results of an internal review carried out in the wake of his death.

“This has been a terrible time for my family,” she said.

“I just want to know how and why my husband died.

“I am finding it difficult to move on with my life and cannot find closure in relation to Patrick’s death due to the delay in the police investigation and inquest.”

Welcoming the judge’s ruling, a spokesman for Mrs Mongan’s solicitors, Madden and Finucane, said: “Her husband died in tragic circumstances almost 18 months ago and she is still no further forward in learning about the circumstances of his death.”

Sinn Féin

TD assaulted by joyriders

Published: 7 March, 2005

Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh today described ‘joyriding’ as an “ongoing and potentially lethal problem” in the Ballyfermot area. The Dublin South Central TD made his comments after joyriders assaulted him near his home yesterday evening.

Deputy Ó Snodaigh said, “On my return from yesterday’s Ard Fheis at around 5pm I was nearly run off the road by joyriders who were driving extremely recklessly around the area I live and where there are always a lot of young children out playing.

“Concerned about the safety of not only my own children but also of the other kids on the road I challenged the occupants of one car to stop their activity but they sped off. I contacted the Gardai to alert them to the presence of joyriders in the area. I then approached the operator of an ice-cream van who was on the road at the time to warn him that up to four cars were being driven at speed around the area.

“It was while I was talking to this man that a second car came along. The car stopped because they couldn‚t get past the ice cream van. I approached the car to ask the occupants to stop because of the threat they posed to local children. It was then that one of the occupants got out of the car and punched me in the face. When other neighbours came out of their homes the joyriders left the area pursued by the Gardai.

“Joyriding in an ongoing and potentially lethal problem in the Ballyfermot area. Thankfully yesterday evening it ended in nothing more than a bloodied nose for myself. And while I would like to congratulate the Gardai for their prompt response I am still fearful that some young child is going to be tragically killed if we don’t tackle this issue. Everybody - the community and the Gardaí - need to work together to bring an end to this scourge.” ENDS

Belfast Telegraph

Community relations week tackles the bigots

By Claire Regan
07 March 2005

Thousands of people across Northern Ireland were today set to “engage in a major assault on sectarianism and racism” during the biggest week in the community relations calendar.

Community Relations Week, organised by the Community Relations Council (CRC), will feature over 150 events across Northern Ireland, starting this morning.

Events will include the launch of research into the attitudes of young people in Northern Ireland towards community relations, ethnic celebrations, cultural events, political debates and sports events.

The first of the week is the raising of the frames of two new houses at Habitat for Humanity’s site at Lupus Grove in Ligoniel, part of a cross community project to build houses in Ligoniel and Ballysillan.

Peter Farquharson, Habitat for Humanity executive director, said that building in the two areas simultaneously, volunteers and families may cross over and work on both projects at the same time.

Duncan Morrow said that the week will illustrate and celebrate the often unsung work that goes on to help break down division here.

“The One Small Step Campaign has been encouraging everyone in society to take steps to help build a shared future for Northern Ireland and we hope that Community Relations Week will be an opportunity for organisations and individuals to illustrate the steps that they are taking,” he said.

“Much of the work that is being put on display in community relations week is carried out on a daily basis and is making a significant contribution to community stability and the push towards a better, stable Northern Ireland,” he added.

A full listing of Community Relations Week events is available at www.community-relations.org.uk.

Belfast Telegraph

Father slams unionist stance

By David Gordon
dgordon@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
07 March 2005

A campaigning father today accused unionist politicians of “hypocrisy” over their comments on the murder of Robert McCartney.

Raymond McCord, whose son Raymond Jnr was killed by the UVF in 1997, said unionists had failed to take a stand on loyalist paramilitary murders.

He asked: “Who among unionist politicians is calling for the murderers of my son to be handed over?

“Who is calling for sanctions against the PUP?

“Their demands on the McCartney murder are nothing more than hypocrisy.”

Mr McCord, a north Belfast Protestant, claimed unionists have let down victims of loyalist violence in their communities.

Raymond McCord Jnr was beaten to death by a UVF gang in November 1997.

Belfast Telegraph

Boy electrocuted on abandoned site

By Damien McGinley
07 March 2005

A 14-year-old boy was electrocuted by a live electric cable on an abandoned site on the outskirts of Belfast, it emerged today.

Stephen McFerran from Poleglass was recovering in hospital today after he was blown off his feet on Saturday by the electric shock, which melted his clothes.

He was playing football on waste ground behind Glenkeen in Poleglass when he fell on to a live cable.

He was taken to the Royal Hospital in Belfast where he was treated for burns to his arm.

Stephen’s father Stephen McFerran said he was lucky not to have been killed.

“We don’t understand how he survived, we brought him to the hospital, his face was black from the electric shock, he was put on a drip and a heart monitor.”

The cable was on the site of a burned-down school.

“The gates were wide open,” Mr McFerran said.

“It’s the only place that kids can play football in, it was an accident waiting to happen, it could have happened to anybody.”

A spokesperson for NIE said they were informed of the cable on Sunday evening, and engineers were working this morning to secure the site.

Sinn Fein MLA, Michael Ferguson, who reported the incident said: “This young boy is lucky to be alive and it is essential that we reduce the risk to others.”

Echoing the family’s concern at the lack of playground facilities he added: “There are 6,000 people under 18 living in this area with no playground facilities. Funding was turned down only last year for an astro turf pitch, children have nowhere else to go.”

Daily Ireland

Armed RIR soldiers chase man into school grounds

A 28-year-old south Armagh man feared he was going to be shot last week after being chased by a group of Royal Irish Regiment soldiers.
Local residents and concerned parents in Ballymacnab are outraged after the armed soldiers chased Gary Donnelly onto the grounds of a primary school.
The incident arose at Foley Primary School in Ballymacnab after Mr Donnelly had been stopped at an RIR patrol along the Collmillish Road as he walked to work.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Ireland, Mr Donnelly said, “I was walking to work and there was a checkpoint on the road.
“The soldiers started asking me for details and, when I didn’t answer them, I was told that they could arrest me under the Terrorism Act.
“They tried to hold me and were grabbing at me so I decided to run away from them. They came after me and I thought I was going to be shot.
“The only place I could think of going to was to the local primary school. I ran into the school and went into a classroom. I asked the teacher if I could wait there and then I noticed the soldiers coming into the school grounds after me so I tried to get away from them.
“They caught me and the secretary of the school came out and pleaded with them to let me go. It’s totally out of order that they can treat people like this.”
Mr Donnelly has an injured shoulder after the incident and is now worried that the RIR will come after him again.
Local Sinn Féin assembly member Conor Murphy said, “Fully armed RIR soldiers should have no place in our primary schools.
“Both the principal and school secretary were forced to intervene and it goes without saying that the victim was immediately released following this frightening and horrific ordeal.”
Daily Ireland has obtained a letter sent from school principal Mr M Kelly to parents about the incident. In the letter, he said, “I was extremely concerned for the welfare of the children and staff of the school. Apart from the trauma and distress these events may have caused, I was also concerned that a weapon might have been discharged. Thankfully, this did not occur.”
A spokesperson for the British armed forces said, “We can confirm that a man who had been acting suspiciously was apprehended briefly on Wednesday morning on the grounds of the school.
“Acting suspiciously and then verbally abusing the soldiers, he was asked by the patrol for his personal details and then ran away into the school grounds.
“He was subseqently apprehended by members of the patrol in the school grounds.
“We sincerely regret any distress caused to anyone who may have witnessed the incident.”

Daily Ireland

Family casts doubt on Ombudsman inquiry

An Armagh family has cast serious doubt on the impartiality of a Police Ombudsman inquiry into the conduct of RUC officers investigating the Ulster Volunteer Force murder of their sons 12 years ago.
On March 7, 1993, 18-year-old Rory Cairns and his 22-year-old brother Gerald were murdered in their Bleary home by a loyalist death squad while they celebrated their younger sister Roisin’s 11th birthday. Had Rory survived, he would have turned 30 today.
One of the gunmen who raked the Cairns farmhouse with bullets was Special Branch informer Mark ‘Swinger’ Fulton, who would later go on to lead the Loyalist Volunteer Force.
The murders rocked the tiny Bleary community. Despite the high-profile nature of the killings, the RUC investigation was decidedly low-key and “woefully inadequate”, according to the brothers’ father, Eamon Cairns.
Because the killings involved at least one British agent, the Cairns family is convinced that detectives never had any intention of bringing their sons’ murderers to justice.
Two years ago, the Police Ombudsman was called in to investigate the Cairns family’s belief that the RUC had never conducted a proper investigation. Although Nuala O’Loan’s office has still to finish its inquiry, the Cairns family is already casting serious doubt over what conclusion it might reach.
Eamon Cairns said, “I am in no doubt that the UVF colluded with the RUC in the build-up to my sons’ murders. It was Special Branch informers who pulled the trigger on my children. But they are only a small part of a bigger picture. I want to see the handlers of the UVF gunmen brought to book for setting my children up to be massacred.
“A while ago, I asked the Police Ombudsman to investigate but I am really unhappy with how its inquiries have been going. I think, and my family shares this view, that the Police Ombudsman is effectively part of the cover-up. What we want is for someone to admit, or the Police Ombudsman to confirm, that there was collusion.”
The village of Bleary is in the heart of north Armagh, an area that local nationalists call the “murder triangle”.
Since the outbreak of the Troubles, 171 people from the area have been murdered by loyalist paramilitaries.
Eamon Cairns said he believed that a large portion of these killings involved collusion between paramilitaries and security agencies.
In a bid to make the whole of Ireland aware of these statistics, Mr Cairns is currently meeting families who have lost loved ones in an attempt to set up an organisation for relatives of collusion victims in north Armagh.
He said, “Most of the people murdered in north Armagh were the victims of the same UVF gang. The RUC are well aware of the names of those who carried out the attack — after all, many were informers — and the lack of charges that followed points straight to collusion.
“Like the murder of my sons, the investigations into all the killings of nationalists in north Armagh were compromised from the start because of the RUC’s need to protect its agents and conceal its role. Although we are faced with this, we are not going to give up fighting for the truth.
“Gerald and Rory are always with us, as is every other lost loved one to their families in north Armagh.
“It is their spirits that has given us the strength to continue.”
A spokesman for the Police Ombudsman said the investigation into the Cairns murders had not been completed and was still under investigation.
He said the investigation was based on evidence and that, if Mr Cairns’ family or anyone else had fresh evidence the Police Ombudsman wanted to hear from them.

Daily Ireland

Letters to the editor - Former blanketman slams Hunger Strike memoirs

**click to view full size

I read with deep anger the extract from Richard O’Rawe’s book Blanketmen where he stated that the IRA Army Council acted in a inexcusable manner by using the last six hunger strikers as cannon fodder for election purposes by blocking a deal that would have ended the hunger strike and saved their lives.
As a former blanketman who joined the protest the same month as Kieran Nugent, I can speak with some authority on the protest.
So I ask myself one question: Why is O’Rawe peddling this line on the 24th anniversary of the Hunger Strike and putting the families through this unneeded turmoil and anguish?
Especially now when the Irish government, the SDLP and media are trying to reinstigate the criminalisation policy for electoral purposes
O’Rawe was only a ‘press release officer’ and would therefore not have been privy, anymore than the rest of the blanketmen, nor had any more say than us, if a deal was acceptable or not.
I can only assume that those years of solitary confinement have affected his memory to the extent he gives himself a role and importance he never had.
O’Rawe has no credibility.
Does anyone honestly think that a man who was prepared to swallow his convictions and put on the prison uniform and criminalise himself while his comrades lay dying would be negotiating for us?
Martin Hurson was never in O’Rawe’s wing as he claims in his book.
Martin, from the day and hour he was sentenced until a few weeks before his death, was always on my wing in H Block 5 along with Francis Hughes and Raymond McCreesh who was next door to me.
I stated I could speak with some authority on the Hunger Strike and the facts are these:
On the night the first Hunger Strike ended, Bobby Sands as officer commanding republican prisoners was taken from his cell and escorted around H blocks 3, 4 and 5 at the request and accompanied by Fr Murphy, the then prison chaplain, a chief screw and prison governor to inform us the strike had ended.
This was only a cover for Bobby as we had our own line of communication within the blocks.
It was Bobby’s way of speaking to Francis Hughes, Ray McCreesh and Patsy O’Hara. The only cells Bobby visited in H block 5 that night were Raymond’s and Francis’ who were cell mates and Patsy O’Hara’s.
The plans were laid out that night by Bobby, that failure by the Brits to implement the deal offered that night to end the Hunger Strike would commence in a new one by these four men. Francis Hughes himself, who was a personal friend of mine, later confirmed this to me.
They planned the Hunger Strike that night – not the IRA Army Council. When the new Hunger Strike was announced Bobby as OC laid ground rules which we were all made aware of and supported, inside the prison.
No 1: He appointed Bik McFarland as OC of republican prisoners extracting a promise, against Bik’s own personal wishes, that at no time was he to go on hunger strike but to remain in command until our five demands were met and to liase with the hunger strikers, which he faithfully did.
No 2: He ordered that no one could order the men off Hunger Strike or agree without their input and consent – only the hunger strikers could take themselves off.
Before embarking on hunger strike, Bobby and Francis were sent written commands by the IRA, the written command for Francis was passed to me to pass in through a gap in the heating pipes that ran along the back wall of our cells to give to Francis.
I was unable to do this, as the gap was too tight so I was given permission to open Francis’ command and to read it to him through the gap in the pipes with the instruction to burn it afterwards and to keep the contents secret.
I hope the IRA will forgive me now for disclosing the contents of their command but I feel I owe it to the Hunger Strikers’ families and the blanket men to knock O’Rawe’s version on the head.
The contents were as follows. The IRA leadership did not agree with the Hunger Strike, so soon after the first one as they felt there would be apathy among grassroots support on the ground outside, that Thatcher’s government would dig their heels in and allow volunteers to die, and that this could be detrimental to the future of the armed struggle and they therefore advised Francis not to go on hunger strike.
That is fact and proof, if needed, that at all times the hunger strikers controlled their destiny – not the IRA as O’Rawe claims.
The very fact these men broke army orders and embarked on hunger strikes showed how courageous and farsighted they were in their thinking that no one must be allowed to criminalise our struggle for justice, peace, equality and freedom and like their comrades in the past right back to the Fenians, who gave their lives rather than criminalise the struggle.
We must honour their memory by ensuring that O’Rawe, the SDLP, the Irish government and the media do not succeed either.
The responsibility for the deaths of the hunger strikers lies with no one but the British government who created the conditions to allow it to happen.

Paul McGlinchey
Toome
Co Antrim

Irelandclick.com

On the ground in Short Strand
The fallout in East Belfast since the murder of Robert McCartney

Short Strand is a community on the ropes. It finds itself at the epicentre of a national tragedy and the focus of unremitting media attention. But the Ballymacarret spirit which has seen the embattled nationalist area emerge unbowed from 30 years on the frontline is serving it well today, say prominent community activists.

On Friday last, the Andersonstown News visited area to allow locals to speak for themselves.

Everyone, without exception, who spoke to us, stressed the sorrow they felt for the McCartney family.

However, there was a fear that the media was using the ordinary people of Short Strand as “A whipping boy”.

“There is not one person from this entire area who doesn’t feel for the family and think that it was disgusting,” said well-known community activist and Aisling Award winner Bernie McConnell. “It was wrong and needs to be dealt with.”

Witness intimidation has featured heavily in the press coverage of the recent events. Bernie said that if this is happening it is unacceptable.

She said that republican famlies are also on the receiving end of hostile media attention. One family named by the media as being involved are, she said, receiving threats through messages on the internet, being spat at on the street and being ignored.

Speaking as a member of the community sector she also called on anyone who is being intimidated to come forward and to let them know.

“I’m calling for all intimidation to stop whether it is intimidation of witnesses or whether it is intimidation against people who were in Magennis’s that night.”

She is worried that the tension in the Short Strand could spill over and result in another tragedy.

“I just fear that because this is such a close-knit area with extended families that there will be another life lost over this whole media frenzy.

“Because of the lies that are being printed in the media, people are getting hyped up within the area. There have already been families fighting with one another over accusations in the media.

“I am also very angry at the likes of the SDLP and the Alliance Party and other unionist parties jumping on the bandwagon here. They are politicising it. They have never done anything for anybody in the Short Strand,” adds Bernie.

Local woman Patricia Johnston was angered at the targeting of houses belonging to republicans by the PSNI. “This was for no reason other than gathering intelligence,” she claimed.

Patricia believes that amidst the whirl of news stories the real issue has been lost. “It is very much politicising the agenda and taking away from the issue here which was the killing of Robert McCartney and making it more about trying to get Sinn Féin to come to the table on the policing issue — getting them to say openly that their electorate or people in the nationalist community should approach the police.”

In the run-up to May’s local election she did not feel that the Short Strand would experience a change in political allegiance after recent weeks.

“This is still very much a staunch republican area for all the hype that’s in the media. Most of the area do support tMcCartneys in terms of getting justice for their brother, but they certainly don’t support the anti-republican agenda, and that’s what this seems to be developing into.

“I think that there are people in the background that are manipulating this situation to suit a much wider agenda.”

Both Patricia and Bernie felt that the Short Strand had been criminalised in the press since the killing. “Everyone in this area has been demonised and vilified,” said Patricia.

One local man told the Andersonstown News that recent events would damage the republican vote in the area.

“Most people are disgusted by Robert’s death. It will hurt Sinn Féin’s vote. Ex-republican prisoners who I’ve spoken to are disgusted too. The general opinion is that most people would be disillusioned with Sinn Féin in the area because of the murder and what happened after the murder.

“Sinn Féin had a strong vote but people’s opinions will have changed.”
Another community activist held a different view. “People are 100 per cent behind the family but there is a ‘but’ there.”

He went on to say that the week after the killing a vigil for Robert – which was well attended – was portrayed by some of the media as an anti-republican protest. This persuaded a lot of people who had been at the vigil to remain away from last Sunday’s protest, he said.

Referring to the possibility of one of Robert McCartney’s sisters standing in the May elections, he said that he would expect the SDLP to tactically stand aside as they could never win the seat. “However, the republican vote will stand up,” he said.

Another local man said that unionists have just jumped on the bandwagon and have “no real compassion for the family”, but was also critical of republicans. “I knew Robert McCartney from no age and have grown up with him.

“In my book there is a simple solution and that is that the IRA to give up those responsible. There is no point expelling them. They can expel them now and in two or three months they could be back in. That is what people here feel.”

RTE News

Adams warns of Sinn Féin expulsions

07 March 2005 09:55

The President of Sinn Féin has said that an expulsion process would begin against suspended Sinn Féin members if they did not make ‘full and truthful’ statements on the murder of Robert McCartney.

Gerry Adams agreed there was unease in his party over his decision to pass information to the Police Ombudsman in connection with Mr McCartney’s killing. However, he said there had been no other way to deal with the issue.

In an interview with the RTÉ Radio One’s The Week in Politics programme, Mr Adams said he had been duty-bound to suspend without prejudice Sinn Féin members named by the family.

Meanwhile, the fall-out from the Northern Bank robbery on the peace process is set to dominate a meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Conference which gets under way today.

The two-day gathering of politicians from Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic is taking place in Bundoran in Co Donegal.

Larkspirit

**Bobby’s diary - 7th day

Saturday 7th

I received a most welcome note tonight from Bernie, my sister. old Bernie. I love her and think she’s the greatest.

I am now convinced that the authorities intend to implement strict isolation soon, as I am having trouble in seeing my solicitor. I hope I’m wrong about the isolation, but we’ll see.

It’s only that I’d like to remain with the boys for as long as possible for many reasons. If I’m isolated, I will simply conquer it.

A priest was in today, somewhat pleasant, and told me about Brendan O Cathaoir’s article in The Irish Times during the week, which I saw. We had a bit of discussion on certain points, which, of course, were to him contentious. He was cordial in his own practised way, purely tactical, of course, and at the same time he was most likely boiling over inside, thinking of the reference to this week’s AP/RN (February 28th issue) calling him a collaborating middle-class nationalist, or appropriate words to that effect.

He is too, says I, and I sympathise with those unfortunate sons of God who find themselves battling against the poverty, disease, corruption, death and inhumanities of the missions…

I am 61 kgs today, going down. I’m not troubled by hunger pangs, nor paranoiac about anything pertaining to food, but, by God, the food has improved here. I thought I noticed that during the last hunger-strike. Well, there is a lot at stake here.

I got the Irish News today, but there’s nothing in it, that’s why I got it.

I’m looking forward to seeing the comrades at Mass tomorrow, all the younger looking faces, minus the beards, moustaches, long rambling untamed hair matted in thick clumps.

One thing is sure, that awful stage, of the piercing or glazed eyes, the tell-tale sign of the rigours of torture, won’t be gone - if it is ever removed. I wonder is it even conceivable that it could be erased from the mind?

We got a new comrade during the week. Isn’t it inspiring the comrades who keep joining us? I read what Jennifer said in court. (On being sentenced, Jennifer McCann said: ‘I am a Republican prisoner of war and at the moment my comrade Bobby Sands is on hunger-strike to defend my rights as a political prisoner.’) I was touched and proud, she is my comrade.

I’ve been thinking of Mary Doyle and Ellen McGuigan and all the rest of the girls in Armagh. How can I forget them?

The Screws are staring at me perplexed. Many of them hope (if their eyes tell the truth) that I will die. If need be, I’ll oblige them, but my God they are fools. Oscar Wilde did not do justice to them for I believe they are lower than even he thought. And I may add there is only one thing lower than a Screw and that is a Governor. And in my experience the higher one goes up that disgusting ladder they call rank, or position, the lower one gets…

It’s raining. I’m not cold, my spirits are well, and I’m still getting some smokes — decadence, well sort of, but who’s perfect. Bad for your health. Mar dheas anois, Oíche Mhaith.